as in to conquer
to bring under one's control by force of arms
explorers who subjugated the natives in the name of religion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in conquest
the act or process of bringing someone or something under one's control
the subjugation of much of Europe by Napoléon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subjugate
Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
But a will to shock has never ranked high among Cronenberg’s priorities; the audience’s horror has always felt less like a goal than like a by-product of a rigorously analytical process, in which sensations are subjugated to ideas.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
Mina’s father flouted strictures; Sade’s mother subjugated herself to them — that is, until Sade went to jail on a serious felony and compassion for her daughter awakened her long-dormant maternal loyalty.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Leaders play an indispensable role in ensuring that technological advancement serves human progress rather than subjugates it.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Verb
Donald Rumsfeld was particularly determined to subjugate bureaucracy.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
But a will to shock has never ranked high among Cronenberg’s priorities; the audience’s horror has always felt less like a goal than like a by-product of a rigorously analytical process, in which sensations are subjugated to ideas.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
Mina’s father flouted strictures; Sade’s mother subjugated herself to them — that is, until Sade went to jail on a serious felony and compassion for her daughter awakened her long-dormant maternal loyalty.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Leaders play an indispensable role in ensuring that technological advancement serves human progress rather than subjugates it.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
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Ephesus is primarily known as a Ionian Greek city, but it was later conquered and rebuilt by the Romans.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
Updated June 4, 2025: In 2018, Eva Steinwald was still conquering her fear of heights.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Bernal as a despotic and at times deluded Magellan persuades the Spanish Crown to fund his bold 16th century expedition to the fabled lands of the East, only to unleash a decade of devastation wreaked by European conquistadors in the Pacific as part of colonial conquests.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2025
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Following his armies’ conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Ottoman sultan Mehmed II famously transformed the Hagia Sophia, built as a Christian church, into a mosque.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Yet, as trade tensions subdued, the stock rebounded 30% from its lowest point.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
-
The reaction from the Yankee Stadium crowd was largely subdued during Dobbins’ pregame introduction.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
For a minute in the 1990s, Failure seemed destined for world domination.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
3 June 2025
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As the 2024-25 season kicked off last August, Madrid appeared set for another spell of domination.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
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The turmoil brought forth by President Donald Trump’s evolving tariff policy, which has dominated economic headlines in recent months, has played a role in shaping the current state of the economy.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
6 June 2025
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Silver did admit, however, that the ratings discussion that often dominates the conversation is an irritant for him.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Mengele sought out twins who arrived at Auschwitz in order to subject them to medical experiments.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
6 June 2025
-
Foreign governments often engage in smear campaigns against anyone that does not toe the line, subjecting them to public excoriation and private surveillance.—
Schuyler Moore,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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His reign ended as another American emerged, Francis Ouimet, a mild-mannered amateur who defeated Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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That’s supposed to keep immigrant families safe and defeat Trump?—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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