as in to subdue
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
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 18 Feb. 2025
The series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the United States, where women are brutally subjugated.
—Kairi Lowery, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Reitz lent the university police force to the effort and helped subjugate the rights of Florida’s students and faculty.
—David Niven, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Trump underestimated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s determination to subjugate Ukraine and has consequently failed to confront the Kremlin with the coercive pressure needed to stop its ongoing aggression.
—Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Verb
Russia launched an all-out attack on Ukraine, for the purpose of ruining and subjugating it.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 18 Feb. 2025
The series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the United States, where women are brutally subjugated.
—Kairi Lowery, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Reitz lent the university police force to the effort and helped subjugate the rights of Florida’s students and faculty.
—David Niven, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Trump underestimated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s determination to subjugate Ukraine and has consequently failed to confront the Kremlin with the coercive pressure needed to stop its ongoing aggression.
—Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
-
The stabbing rampage that took place Saturday, July 26, left 11 people injured before onlookers, one of them apparently armed with a handgun, subdued the suspect in the parking lot outside the store just before police arrived, police said.—
Clara Hendrickson,
Freep.com,
29 July 2025
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Along with other bystanders, Perry helped subdue the perpetrator, whom officials identified as 42-year-old Bradford James Gille.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Noun
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This four-bedroom townhome, centuries old but newly remodeled, was in the town of Bayeux, famous for the tapestry that recounts the 1066 Norman conquest of England.—
Thomas Fuller,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
-
The 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry, which details the Norman conquest of England, is returning home to Britain for the first time in nearly 1,000 years.—
Asia London Palomba,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 July 2025
Verb
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What a confusing year for these Fever, from Clark’s three different soft tissue injuries to DeWanna Bonner’s troubled stint to … dominating the Commissioner’s Cup final, against the Minnesota Lynx no less?—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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As recently as this week, Chinese aircraft carriers pushed farther into waters that had long been dominated by the U.S. military, in a series of drills reported by the Japanese military's joint staff.—
Tom Bowman,
NPR,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Hockey’s loss became golf’s gain, and Gilmore’s domination on the championship tour gave the PGA a shot of pure rock & roll energy right up its tight, white ass.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
25 July 2025
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It was held together not by the domination of a single group, but rather by its asymmetries.—
Aatish Taseer,
Time,
15 July 2025
Verb
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps is conquering around $23 million in previews tonight that began at 2 p.m..—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
25 July 2025
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Sixteen years later, Miranda Priestly has returned to conquer the streets of New York.—
Pamela Vázquez,
Glamour,
24 July 2025
Verb
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The panel had previously considered a version that would have subjected all housing developments to this appeals board.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
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Two things can be true: Doctors are responsible for keeping mom and baby safe during a C-section and also for not subjecting any patient to avoidable torment.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
16 July 2025
Verb
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As a fighting force, Hezbollah, the most powerful of Tehran’s proxy forces since 1982, was defeated.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
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But how will the Four defeat an almost godlike being, even with their impressive superpowers?—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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