E. H. Litchfield
Did you know?
Since jugus means "yoke" in Latin, subjugate means literally "bring under the yoke". Farmers control oxen by means of a heavy wooden yoke over their shoulders. In ancient Rome, conquered soldiers, stripped of their uniforms, might actually be forced to pass under an ox yoke as a sign of submission to the Roman victors. Even without an actual yoke, what happens to a population that has come under the control of another can be every bit as humiliating. In dozens of countries throughout the world, ethnic minorities are denied basic rights and view themselves as subjugated by their country's government, army, and police.
Examples of subjugate in a Sentence
Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
This campy, reality-shifting comedy series questions what would happen if a flaming misogynist woke up in a world that was completely matriarchal and subjugated men based on their gender.
—Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Everflame is set in a world where mortals live in poverty, subjugated by an elite race known as the Descended.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subjugate. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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subjugate
verb
