CO-OPT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does co-opt mean? 

• CO-OPT (verb)
  The verb CO-OPT has 4 senses:

1. choose or elect as a fellow member or colleague

2. neutralize or win over through assimilation into an established group

3. appoint summarily or commandeer

4. take or assume for one's own use

  Familiarity information: CO-OPT used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CO-OPT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they co-opt    ... he / she / it co-opts   
Past simple: co-opted   
Past participle: co-opted   
-ing form: co-opting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Choose or elect as a fellow member or colleague

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The church members co-opted individuals from similar backgrounds to replenish the congregation

Hypernyms (to "co-opt" is one way to...):

elect (select by a vote for an office or membership)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

co-optation; co-option (the selection of a new member (usually by a vote of the existing membership))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Neutralize or win over through assimilation into an established group

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

We co-opted the independent minority tribes by pulling them into the Northern Alliance

Hypernyms (to "co-opt" is one way to...):

neutralize (make politically neutral and thus inoffensive)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Appoint summarily or commandeer

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The army tried to co-opt peasants into civil defence groups

Hypernyms (to "co-opt" is one way to...):

appoint; constitute; name; nominate (create and charge with a task or function)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

co-optation; co-option (the act of appointing summarily (with or without the appointee's consent))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Take or assume for one's own use

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

He co-opted the criticism and embraced it

Hypernyms (to "co-opt" is one way to...):

accept; take (make use of or accept for some purpose)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something