subversion
noun
Did you know?
Subversion is literally the "turning over" of something. In the 1950s and '60s, many people worried about communist subversion of the U.S. government, though they often saw subversive activities where none existed. Nondemocratic governments often claim that anyone who disagrees with them or joins a demonstration is a subversive. But subversion isn't always quite so serious a matter; when words like weekend, sandwich, job, *and *camping started being used by the French, for example, some of them began claiming that America was subverting their language.
Examples of subversion in a Sentence
Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Leaflets, filled with anti-government propaganda, soon emerged as the group’s newest, and boldest, tactic at subversion.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
There’s also been a little bit of leaning into it on some ends in entertainment, and an inversion or subversion of it in other ends.
—Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 May 2026
How would the subversion of November’s election take place?
—Mark Barabak, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for subversion
Cite this Entry
“Subversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subversion. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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subversion
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subversion
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