putschist: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (C2)Formal, Historical, Political, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “putschist” mean?
A person who participates in or leads a putsch.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who participates in or leads a putsch; a political conspirator who attempts to seize power by force.
More broadly, anyone who engages in subversive, revolutionary, or illegal action to overthrow a government or authority, often through a sudden, violent uprising. Can describe the ideology or methods of such a person.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. Slightly more likely to appear in UK historical/political discourse about European events.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries strong negative connotations of illegitimacy and reckless violence.
Frequency
Very rare in everyday speech in both regions. Used almost exclusively in academic, historical, or high-level political commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “putschist” in a Sentence
The putschist (verb: attempted/led/planned) the coup.They were accused of being putschists.The government was overthrown by putschists.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “putschist” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The verb 'to putsch' is obsolete. Use 'to stage/mount a putsch'.
American English
- The verb 'to putsch' is obsolete. Use 'to attempt a putsch'.
adverb
British English
- No established adverb form.
American English
- No established adverb form.
adjective
British English
- The putschist faction was quickly rounded up.
- He was known for his putschist sympathies.
American English
- The putschist generals were court-martialed.
- Intelligence uncovered a putschist plot.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in political science, history, and international relations to describe actors in coups d'état.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would only be used in discussing specific historical or current political crises.
Technical
A technical term within political historiography and analysis of regime change.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “putschist”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “putschist”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “putschist”
- Mispronouncing as /pʌtʃɪst/ (like 'butch'). The 'u' is as in 'put' /ʊ/.
- Using it to describe any protester or political opponent, which dilutes its specific meaning of attempting a violent, sudden takeover.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It derives from the Swiss German word 'Putsch', meaning 'blow', 'thrust', or 'coup'. It entered English via reports of early 20th-century political upheavals in German-speaking Europe, most notably the 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch.
Not exactly. A 'putschist' specifically attempts to seize power through a sudden, clandestine, and often violent action by a small group (a coup). A 'revolutionary' seeks broader systemic change, which may involve mass movements, ideology, and can be either violent or non-violent.
Yes, though less common than the noun. It can be used attributively, as in 'putschist elements', 'putschist activity', or 'putschist ideology'.
An 'insurgent' is typically a rebel fighting against a government in an ongoing armed conflict, often from a position of weakness. A 'putschist' is focused on a single, decisive act of seizing the central levers of power from within the existing system, often using surprise.
A person who participates in or leads a putsch.
Putschist is usually formal, historical, political, journalistic in register.
Putschist: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpʊtʃɪst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpʊtʃɪst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No direct idioms. The word itself is used in fixed phrases like 'failed putschist'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'PUSH' for a putsch – a putschist PUSHes to violently seize power.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICS IS WAR (The putschist is a soldier in a clandestine, internal war). POLITICAL CHANGE IS A SUDDEN PHYSICAL ACTION (like a shove or a grab).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for 'putschist' in its core meaning?