trample
B2Neutral to Formal
Definition
Meaning
To tread on, step on, or crush something violently or heavily underfoot.
To treat people, their rights, or their feelings as if they are worthless; to destroy or disregard something ruthlessly.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a violent, careless, or disrespectful action, either literal or metaphorical.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word and its forms are identical and equally used in both varieties. There is a subtle stylistic difference in metaphorical use, where American English more readily applies it to legal/social rights contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties share connotations of force and disrespect, but the metaphorical sense (e.g., trampling on rights) is very prominent in political/legal discourse.
Frequency
Comparable frequency. Both use the literal and figurative senses commonly.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] (on/over sth/sb)[VN][VN] underfootVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “trample underfoot”
- “trample on someone's dreams”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used literally. Metaphorical: 'The new policy tramples on workers' established benefits.'
Academic
Used in legal/political science: 'laws that trample fundamental liberties.' Historical: 'the invading army trampled the crops.'
Everyday
Literal: 'Don't trample the flowerbeds!' Figurative: 'He just tramples on my feelings.'
Technical
Not typical in hard sciences. May appear in environmental/agricultural reports on soil compaction or crop damage.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The crowd surged forward and trampled the safety barriers.
- The government must not be allowed to trample on our ancient rights.
American English
- The kids ran through and trampled the newly seeded lawn.
- That bill would trample over state sovereignty.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not commonly used as an adjective. The participial adjective 'trampled' is used (e.g., 'the trampled grass').
American English
- Not commonly used as an adjective. The participial adjective 'trampled' is used (e.g., 'trampled rights').
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please don't trample the flowers in the garden.
- The cows trampled the fence to get to the water.
- The new management seems to trample on every suggestion the staff makes.
- The dictator's regime was notorious for trampling human rights underfoot with impunity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TRAM (a large, heavy vehicle) and APPLE. A tram crushing an apple under its wheels gives the sense of 'trample'.
Conceptual Metaphor
RIGHTS/FEELINGS ARE FRAGILE OBJECTS UNDERFOOT. DISRESPECT IS VIOLENT TREADING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'топать' (to stomp one's feet in place). 'Trample' requires an object being crushed. For 'trample on rights', a phrase like 'попирать права' is better than a literal translation involving walking.
Common Mistakes
- Using it intransitively without 'on/over' (e.g., 'He trampled my roses' not 'He trampled at my roses'). Confusing with 'tramp' (to walk heavily).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'trample' in a purely metaphorical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it carries a negative connotation of destruction, force, or disrespect, whether used literally or figuratively.
'Stamp' often implies lifting the foot and bringing it down forcefully, possibly in one place. 'Trample' implies a repeated or continuous action of treading and crushing, often while moving.
Yes, but it usually requires a preposition like 'on' or 'over' (e.g., 'Don't trample on the flowers'). The transitive use ('He trampled the flowers') is also common.
Yes, metaphorically to describe a team defeating another overwhelmingly (e.g., 'The champions trampled over their opponents with a 6-0 victory').