as in obedience
a bending to the authority or control of another
an oligarchy requires subordination by the masses to the will of a tiny elite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of subordination
This back-and-forth struggle to dominate American institutions testifies to their surpassing value and to their insusceptibility to permanent subordination.
—
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Instead, officials reinforce colonial subordination while deepening the vulnerability of immigrant communities.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
The documentation should show the commercial rationale for the advance, a repayment schedule, any security or subordination terms, and actions consistent with a creditor relationship (for example, formal demands for payment, enforcement steps or arms‑length interest rates).
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Trump’s Oval Office subordination of the Europeans was stunning.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordination
Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Instead, officials reinforce colonial subordination while deepening the vulnerability of immigrant communities.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
The documentation should show the commercial rationale for the advance, a repayment schedule, any security or subordination terms, and actions consistent with a creditor relationship (for example, formal demands for payment, enforcement steps or arms‑length interest rates).
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Trump’s Oval Office subordination of the Europeans was stunning.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subordination
Noun
-
The festival commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God, with millions of livestock being sacrificed across Bangladesh during the celebration.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
-
Chronicles of far-right obedience and moral decadence don’t get much more scathing than this.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The second edition will take place in Austin from Sept 17-21, with submissions now open.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
-
Earlier this year, NIST formally acknowledged that the National Vulnerability Database can no longer keep pace with new submissions.—
Yonesy Nunez,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
This veto aligns with Polis’ veto of a similar bill last year that featured a 48-hour warrant compliance requirement and stricter self-policing by the platforms.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.—
The Sacramento Bee staff,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subordination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subordination. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
