depose
gb/dɪpˈoʊz/ us/dɪpˈoʊz/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
C1
action
1
Remove from power
to force a leader or important official to leave their position
Usage pattern:
depose [someone]; depose [someone] from [office/power]; be deposed as [role]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse deposed with disposed. A deposed leader has been removed from power.
Synonyms
oust (common in news; suggests being forced out)
|
overthrow (stronger; often suggests violent or revolutionary action)
|
remove (more general and less formal)
|
unseat (often used for removing someone from an elected or powerful position)
Antonyms
install (to put someone into a position of power)
|
appoint (to officially give someone a position)
|
enthrone (to make someone a monarch; more specific and formal)
Collocations
depose a president
|depose a king
|depose a dictator
|depose a leader
|be deposed in a coup
|depose someone from office
|depose someone from power
|newly deposed
|recently deposed
Themes
politics
|government
|power
|conflict
Examples
- The army deposed the president in a bloodless coup.
- The king was deposed after months of protests.
- Several ministers were arrested after trying to depose the government.
Learner examples
- The dictator was deposed by the army.
- Protesters wanted to depose the president.
Verb
legal
C1
action
2
Question under oath
to ask someone legal questions that they must answer truthfully under oath before a trial
Usage pattern:
depose [someone]; be deposed by [lawyer/attorney]; be deposed in [case/lawsuit]
Common mistake:
In legal news, be deposed often means be questioned under oath, not removed from office.
Synonyms
question (more general; does not necessarily mean under oath)
|
examine (formal legal term for questioning a witness)
|
interview (less formal and not necessarily under oath)
Collocations
depose a witness
|depose the plaintiff
|depose the defendant
|depose an executive
|depose someone under oath
|be deposed by lawyers
|be deposed for several hours
|depose someone in a lawsuit
|deposition testimony
Themes
law
|courts
|evidence
Examples
- The company’s lawyers deposed three former employees last week.
- She was deposed for nearly six hours in the discrimination lawsuit.
- Attorneys plan to depose the witness before the trial begins.
Learner examples
- The lawyer deposed the witness.
- He was deposed in the case yesterday.
Verb
legal
C2
action
3
Give sworn evidence
to say something officially and truthfully in a legal statement
Usage pattern:
depose that [clause]; depose to [facts]; depose and say [clause]
Common mistake:
This use is formal and legal; in ordinary speech, use testify, state, or say.
Synonyms
testify (more common; often used for giving evidence in court)
|
swear (emphasizes making a statement under oath)
|
state (more general and less specifically legal)
|
attest (formal; emphasizes confirming something as true)
Antonyms
deny (to say that something is not true)
|
retract (to take back a previous statement)
Collocations
depose that
|depose to the facts
|depose under oath
|duly depose
|depose and say
|deposed in an affidavit
Themes
law
|courts
|evidence
Examples
- In the affidavit, she deposed that the documents were authentic.
- The officer deposed to the facts set out in the report.
- The witness duly deposed that he had seen the accident from across the street.
Learner examples
- She deposed that the statement was true.
- The witness deposed under oath.
Grammar
Dictionary form
depose
IPA
GB/dɪpˈoʊz/
US/dɪpˈoʊz/
Syllables & stress
de - pose (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pose)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: depose
- 3rd Person Singular: deposes
- Present Participle: deposing
- Past: deposed
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.