as in rebel
someone who tries to overthrow or undermine a governing power
They were outted as subversives and exiled from the country.
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as in violent
seeking to overthrow or undermine a governing power
A subversive organization determined to unseat a leader who they believed operated outside the law.
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Recent Examples of subversive
Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
Loners lashing out America has had genuine subversives and left-wing terror networks in the past.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
An obsession with Perfidia Beverly Hills (a magnetic Teyana Taylor), the animating figure behind a militant organization called the French 75 and the most stunning subversive to flaunt an automatic weapon while heavily pregnant.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
To dissidents, she has been seen as a hero putting her life on the line; to Modi’s supporters, as a dangerous subversive who is anti-national and anti-Hindu.
—Anderson Tepper, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
André's chaotic talk show, The Eric Andre Show (2012–2023), established the actor and comedian as a true subversive, which makes his turns in projects such as The Lion King (2019) and Trolls Band Together (2023) that much more amusing.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The demonstration of the cost of the labor is genuinely subversive, even remarkable.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
The risk is in presuming that anything subversive or sensational is also true and meaningful, and that anything conventional is a lie that must be smashed down.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Analysts have cited Night of the Living Dead as a subversive commentary on the Vietnam War, which was raging at the time of the film's release.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Anne-Sofie Madsen took winter footwear in a distinctly subversive direction, collaborating with Ugg on spiky, clawed variations of its classic boot.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2026
This is an oddly subversive notion of tradition, the past as secret society.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, whose resume in this genre includes the Aquaman movies as well as HBO’s subversive Watchmen series, is our self-sabotaging would-be hero, Simon Williams, a struggling actor first seen getting fired from American Horror Story for overthinking a minor role.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Even the breakfast staff keep the hotel’s subversive edge alive, with a uniform that combines chic service suits with Adidas sneakers.
—Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
On November 25, 1947, a majority of Hollywood top brass met at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and drafted the notorious Waldorf Statement that promised no studio would employ anyone who was a communist or suspected subversive.
—Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
Loners lashing out America has had genuine subversives and left-wing terror networks in the past.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
An obsession with Perfidia Beverly Hills (a magnetic Teyana Taylor), the animating figure behind a militant organization called the French 75 and the most stunning subversive to flaunt an automatic weapon while heavily pregnant.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
To dissidents, she has been seen as a hero putting her life on the line; to Modi’s supporters, as a dangerous subversive who is anti-national and anti-Hindu.
—Anderson Tepper, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
André's chaotic talk show, The Eric Andre Show (2012–2023), established the actor and comedian as a true subversive, which makes his turns in projects such as The Lion King (2019) and Trolls Band Together (2023) that much more amusing.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Known for combining high fashion with streetwear, Bad Bunny has a reputation for adventurous and subversive style.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The demonstration of the cost of the labor is genuinely subversive, even remarkable.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
The risk is in presuming that anything subversive or sensational is also true and meaningful, and that anything conventional is a lie that must be smashed down.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Analysts have cited Night of the Living Dead as a subversive commentary on the Vietnam War, which was raging at the time of the film's release.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Anne-Sofie Madsen took winter footwear in a distinctly subversive direction, collaborating with Ugg on spiky, clawed variations of its classic boot.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2026
This is an oddly subversive notion of tradition, the past as secret society.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, whose resume in this genre includes the Aquaman movies as well as HBO’s subversive Watchmen series, is our self-sabotaging would-be hero, Simon Williams, a struggling actor first seen getting fired from American Horror Story for overthinking a minor role.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Even the breakfast staff keep the hotel’s subversive edge alive, with a uniform that combines chic service suits with Adidas sneakers.
—Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversive
Noun
-
Lucas’s focus on getting paid brings him in for the book’s harshest criticism; Fischer casts him as a rebel turned sellout.—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
On the other hand, Bennu is the rebel — its glycine likely originated in frozen ice exposed to harsh radiation in the outer reaches of the solar system.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Now polling suggests the public, and even Republican leaders in Congress, have stopped buying the White House’s claims that federal agents’ paramilitary-style raids only target violent criminals.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The takeover of the arts is less violent and a bit more insidious, but just as dangerous in its own right.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Progressive senators are wading into Democratic primaries across the country, at times breaking from their leaders to back more left-leaning or insurgent candidates — with the notable exception of Texas.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Those funds often backed far-right Republican insurgents.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Safe to say, military technology has yet to come up with another such revolutionary invention that changed human lives, when it was actually meant to destroy them.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Short for Four Player Grand Prix, this is a new indie racer developed by Vision Reelle and 3goo, very clearly inspired by Sega’s revolutionary Virtua Racing from 1992.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Investigators are not ruling out sabotage carried out by anarchists, citing similarities to the sabotage that targeted the French network during the 2024 Paris Olympics, when France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by multiple malicious acts including arson.—
Antonia Mortensen,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Choi is otherwise best known for her portrayal of Japanese anarchist Fumiko Kaneko in the historical drama Anarchist from Colony, which won her a slew of awards, including Best New Actress and Best Actress at the Grand Bell Awards, Korea’s equivalent to the Academy Award.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subversive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversive. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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