as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
by insisting that she pay me for helping her, she subverted my noble desire to do a good deed without reward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 subvert
Throughout the project, traditional depictions of masculinity are subverted to surprising effect.
—
M. Z. Adnan, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2024
Director Herbert Ross subverted Potter’s cynicism by emphasizing the life force and sheer talent of the American showbiz tradition and then connected it to visionary creativity as diverse as Edward Hopper and Bertolt Brecht.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Nov. 2024
But our hopes for change have been subverted by an ideology that is dedicated to violence and the suppression of freedoms.
—Sheikh Abbas Al-Jawhari, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
On the surface, Baum’s novel seems as simple as a Grimm’s fairytale, but slyly subverts tradition by depicting the titular wizard as a shameless conman, a slick salesman who, nonetheless, genuinely helps Dorothy and her party of outcasts.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subvert 
M. Z. Adnan, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2024
Director Herbert Ross subverted Potter’s cynicism by emphasizing the life force and sheer talent of the American showbiz tradition and then connected it to visionary creativity as diverse as Edward Hopper and Bertolt Brecht.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Nov. 2024
But our hopes for change have been subverted by an ideology that is dedicated to violence and the suppression of freedoms.
—Sheikh Abbas Al-Jawhari, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
On the surface, Baum’s novel seems as simple as a Grimm’s fairytale, but slyly subverts tradition by depicting the titular wizard as a shameless conman, a slick salesman who, nonetheless, genuinely helps Dorothy and her party of outcasts.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subvert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subvert
Verb
-
But the morale of his troops had been degraded too significantly for any meaningful change.Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Meanwhile, Hamas has been da- -- badly degraded as well.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
In addition, hiring has slowed a bit in recent months, raising the risk that the economy could weaken in the coming months.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Too much water can cause the fibers to weaken, become brittle, and break.Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Rachel: Yes, this is a film about how absolute power corrupts absolutely and how there is no hope of true justice under late capitalism.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
-
That includes when a campaign staffer accidentally downloads a malicious file or when a hacker corrupts a key data file.Sam Sabin, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Meanwhile, almost 20 American naval vessels and more than 300 airplanes were destroyed or damaged.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
-
Shacks and buildings were left completely destroyed when the cyclone struck the nation hampered by poverty.Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
To see the reigning English champions humiliated and humbled in such a manner is a very rare event.Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
-
Teeny feels humiliated over the fact that Genevieve left her out of the Sol vote, which is more than understandable.Nick Caruso, TVLine, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
By that time – perhaps only a decade from now, perhaps longer – the dollar may have been debased so badly that one bitcoin might be priced at $1 trillion or more.Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
-
Bitcoin’s edge over gold lies in its unparalleled scarcity and technological attributes—a mix between a tech stock and gold that cannot be debased and can settle globally in minutes.Ansel Lindner, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Dexter’s first kill, initiated by the nurse poisoning Harry when he’s hospitalized after a heart attack, is intercut with Deb’s high school volleyball game.Alison Herman, Variety, 14 Dec. 2024
-
Moscow’s disastrous war in Afghanistan in the 1980s poisoned its relations with the Muslim world, and even contributed to the collapse of the Soviet state.Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
As the identity of everyone is obvious and the timeline of events is precise, this does not dilute the film’s impact.Richard Kuipers, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024
-
These delays repeatedly ceded the initiative to Moscow and diluted the effectiveness of U.S. aid, prolonging the conflict and diminishing Kyiv’s negotiating leverage.Mitch McConnell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near subvert
Cite this Entry
“Subvert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subvert. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share