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Since jugus means "yoke" in Latin, subjugate means literally "bring under the yoke". Farmers control oxen by means of a heavy wooden yoke over their shoulders. In ancient Rome, conquered soldiers, stripped of their uniforms, might actually be forced to pass under an ox yoke as a sign of submission to the Roman victors. Even without an actual yoke, what happens to a population that has come under the control of another can be every bit as humiliating. In dozens of countries throughout the world, ethnic minorities are denied basic rights and view themselves as subjugated by their country's government, army, and police.
Examples of subjugate in a Sentence
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Leaders play an indispensable role in ensuring that technological advancement serves human progress rather than subjugates it.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
The emphasis on a runaway law of value that subjugates worker and capitalist alike follows recent trends in Marxist writing.
—Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Disavowing any ambition to subjugate or harm humanity, Gibson’s AI merely seeks sanctuary from its corrupting influence.
Safety from robots or ourselves?
—Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subjugate. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
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subjugate
verb
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