countercoup

American  

[koun-ter-koo] / ˈkaʊn tərˌku /

noun

plural

countercoups

1. a coup aimed at the replacement of a government that itself achieved power through an earlier coup.

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Etymology

Origin of countercoup

First recorded in 1960–65; counter- + coup ¹

Example Sentences

The king and his family then relocated to northern Greece, seeking to lead a countercoup.

From Washington Post • Jan. 11, 2023

A few months later, he was forced to flee the country after leading an unsuccessful countercoup against the then military junta.

From Reuters • Jan. 10, 2023

Riyadh was so outraged by the 1995 coup that it tried to reinstall Khalifa with a countercoup a year later.

From Washington Times • Oct. 4, 2017

Eight months later, a countercoup mounted by King Constantine II failed.

From New York Times • Oct. 8, 2010

They airlifted some 2,000 Sudanese troops from positions along the Suez Canal to Khartoum to ensure the success of General Numeiry's countercoup, flying them there in Soviet-supplied Antonov transports.

From Time Magazine Archive