unseat

verb

un·​seat ˌən-ˈsēt How to pronounce unseat (audio)
unseated; unseating; unseats
Synonyms of unseatnext

transitive verb

1
: to dislodge from one's seat especially on horseback
2
: to remove from a place or position
especially : to remove from political office

Synonyms of unseat

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Examples of unseat in a Sentence

He unseated an incumbent senator. The horse bucked and unseated its rider.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The film sat at the top of Netflix’s top 10 list since its debut, but now a new comedy has come along to unseat it. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 Candidates backed by Zohran Mamdani unseat fellow Democrats in a slew of races. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 June 2026 Patti Stueckler, a Maryland real estate agent who unseated one of the incumbents, wrote on her campaign Facebook page Wednesday morning. — Story Hinckley, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026 In the women’s draw, Iga Świątek wants to keep hold of her trophy too, but Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and more contenders are waiting to unseat her. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unseat

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unseat was in 1596

Rhymes for unseat

See All Rhymes for unseat

Browse Nearby Words

unseasoned
unseat
unseaworthiness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unseat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unseat. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unseat

verb
un·​seat ˌən-ˈsēt How to pronounce unseat (audio)
ˈən-
1
: to throw from one's seat especially on horseback
2
: to remove from a place or position
especially : to remove from political office

More from Merriam-Webster on unseat

Nglish: Translation of unseat for Spanish Speakers

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