as in sabotage
secret efforts to weaken or ruin a political system or government from within
They were arrested on charges of political subversion.
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Recent Examples of subversion
Clothing, for her, was both armor and expression, a tool for survival and subversion.
—
Susannah Cahalan, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
The result is just tit-for-tat subversion and another blow to America’s supposedly nonpartisan system of justice.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Over the last year, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, has uncovered nearly 30 cases of espionage and subversion by Israelis, mostly Jews, recruited to work for Iran.
—Orly Halpern, Time, 18 June 2025
Hong Kong residents or companies who knowingly publish the gaming app, share it or recommend it to others may be seen as inciting secession and subversion, authorities warned.
—Sherisse Pham, NPR, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subversion
Susannah Cahalan, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
The result is just tit-for-tat subversion and another blow to America’s supposedly nonpartisan system of justice.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Over the last year, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, has uncovered nearly 30 cases of espionage and subversion by Israelis, mostly Jews, recruited to work for Iran.
—Orly Halpern, Time, 18 June 2025
Hong Kong residents or companies who knowingly publish the gaming app, share it or recommend it to others may be seen as inciting secession and subversion, authorities warned.
—Sherisse Pham, NPR, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversion
Noun
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Swedish authorities opened a sabotage investigation, although the Finnish operator reported no service disruption.—
Jordan King
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
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The facility had been subject to sabotage and subterfuge by Israel for many years even before these attacks–including a computer virus that wrecked the centrifuges over a decade ago.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Those dismissed include two attorneys who worked as supervisors overseeing the Jan. 6 prosecutions in the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington as well as a line attorney who prosecuted cases stemming from the Capitol riot and insurrection, the people said.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
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Once the security forces started killing and torturing enough protesters, the demonstrations, which did spiral into insurrections in 2017 and 2019, petered out.—
ERIC EDELMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
20 June 2025
Noun
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The South committed treason against the Constitution to protect slavery.—
Zaakir Tameez
June 11,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2025
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Lissu — who survived being shot 16 times in a 2017 assassination attempt — was arrested in April on treason charges.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
7 June 2025
Noun
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The third season opens in the wake of the deadly rebellion depicted in the Season 2 finale, which left Jung-Bae and many of Gi-hun’s allies dead.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
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Still, youthful rebellion in virtual reality looks great and the concept of online escapes resonates in an increasingly intense real world.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
20 June 2025
Noun
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The Trump administration has pardoned all Jan. 6 protesters and has taken actions against those who prosecuted them for a variety of allegations connected to the unrest.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
28 June 2025
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In addition, Trump has not ruled out invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows the deployment of active-duty U.S. military personnel within the United States in cases of unrest or rebellion — a prospect also made more likely when the nation is at war.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2025
Noun
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The six-parter, to debut July 14, follows six groups of friends, and six historical cases of murder and treachery among them.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
19 June 2025
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But amid the bloodbaths and treacheries, Westeros still penciled in time for a little romance — some more compelling than others (Jon and Ygritte > Jon and Daenerys).—
Tyler Aquilina,
EW.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversion. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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