as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
by insisting that she pay me for helping her, she subverted my noble desire to do a good deed without reward
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Recent Examples of subvert
Tariffs, conquests; all are subverted to this man’s ego.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
The effort to subvert the election was also a warning of things to come.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
Start watching this Adult Swim original for the subverted Back to the Future vibes, but don't expect McDonald's to bring back their Szechuan sauce anytime soon.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Jan. 2026
That led her to examine how fragrance could subvert gender and its meaning.
—Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subvert
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
The effort to subvert the election was also a warning of things to come.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
Start watching this Adult Swim original for the subverted Back to the Future vibes, but don't expect McDonald's to bring back their Szechuan sauce anytime soon.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Jan. 2026
That led her to examine how fragrance could subvert gender and its meaning.
—Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subvert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subvert
Verb
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Cold storage facilities have long struggled to automate inventory management due to frost, airflow, condensation, and glare, all of which degrade conventional sensors and scanning systems.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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To degrade what's left of Iran's nuclear program and missile-making capacity?—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Investors don’t want to inadvertently cheer on weakening job growth that could negatively impact consumer spending and economic growth, hurting stock prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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The National Weather Service says the ridge keeping California dry since last month is beginning to weaken.—
Monica Garske,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His relationship with his Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, grows closer as Nazi power corrupts France.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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What follows are some of their stories about the way gambling addictions prey on fandom, the convenience of online sportsbooks, and the masculine culture of competitiveness to corrupt the role of sports in their lives.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More than 12,000 scrolls were once stored inside this second-century center of learning before a fire destroyed them in 262 CE.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Feeling bored, resentful and trapped by domestic life, Hedda hatches a plan to destroy her husband’s potential career rival, Eilert Lovberg, who happens to be her ex-lover.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At one point at the table, Jane ran a fork down the side of Robert's face, leaving red lines, humiliating him.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
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Days after the segment was recorded, Schmitz shot Amedure to death, then confessed to the murder, saying he'd been humiliated on national TV.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Haphazardly propped on the ground with wiring and hardware exposed, the flags appear as symbols debased and emptied after centuries of misuse.—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
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Since the summer of 2025, antiforeigner sentiment—fueled by false or exaggerated claims about migrant workers committing crimes, foreign residents draining welfare coffers, or international tourists debasing Japanese culture—has taken hold in Japanese politics.—
GRACIA LIU-FARRER,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Nov. 2025
Verb
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He was also sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019 following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government said was carried out by GRU agents to poison a former Russian spy.—
CNN's Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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Children have been among those poisoned this year.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Give your plant orchid food or a balanced fertilizer diluted to half strength.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
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The poetry of Brontë’s language is likewise diluted.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subvert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subvert. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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