as in to subdue
to bring under one's control by force of arms
explorers who subjugated the natives in the name of religion
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Recent Examples of subjugate
Putin began the year projecting confidence about his campaign to subjugate Ukraine, despite incremental progress on the battlefield.
—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Its founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, established a religious dictatorship that subjugates the Iranian people under sharia law, while zealously exporting its dogma by force.
—
Elan Journo,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
Likewise, meekness once meant not becoming weak, but subjugating power to reason – not letting anger take control.
—
Timothy J. Pawl,
The Conversation,
23 Feb. 2026
However, once Hernán Cortés triumphed, the conquistadors went from waging war — vanquishing the Aztecs — to the project of subjugating Indigenous holdouts and building a self-sustaining territory loyal to the crown.
—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Its founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, established a religious dictatorship that subjugates the Iranian people under sharia law, while zealously exporting its dogma by force.
—
Elan Journo,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
Likewise, meekness once meant not becoming weak, but subjugating power to reason – not letting anger take control.
—
Timothy J. Pawl,
The Conversation,
23 Feb. 2026
However, once Hernán Cortés triumphed, the conquistadors went from waging war — vanquishing the Aztecs — to the project of subjugating Indigenous holdouts and building a self-sustaining territory loyal to the crown.
—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
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Upon their return, most ended up in countries that were invaded and subdued by the German army.
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Over a decade, more than 1,000 people have died across the country after police subdued them through means not intended to be lethal, such as physical holds, Tasers and body blows, an investigation led by The Associated Press found.
Verb
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Hong Kong/Hangzhou/Beijing — When humanoid robots dominated the stage of last year’s Spring Festival Gala with sleek dance routines, Ai Lin saw more than a spectacle.
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Brazil has dominated possession but has not turned that into opportunities to score.
Verb
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But Alexca, a bubbly toddler who giggles and runs about, has conquered her grandmother’s heart.
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Shooting in August, the film follows Asa Jones, a girl from Louisiana who wants to conquer the world of girls’ basketball.
Verb
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This particular issue has to do with Washington state provisions that allow shelters to refuse to notify parents when minors are seeking gender-affirming care if the shelters conclude that the parents might subject the child to abuse or neglect.
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Other states are subjecting their wealthiest residents to new income taxes, rather than taxing assets.
Verb
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Egypt defeated Australia 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout Friday after the teams played to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes in Arlington, Texas.
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The short version is that after defeating the Kilrathi at the climax of Wing Commander 3, Mark Hamill’s Christopher Blair retires to a backwater world to live out a life in peace and obscurity.
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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