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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
Peter Pomerantsev, Time, 14 Aug. 2025
All expanded the Russian empire -- and subjugated the people and areas that now form Ukraine.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
In this show, loving does not mean subjugating oneself but using it to find purpose.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Since the Trump administration returned to power in January, the NSF has been subjugated to an intense round of layoffs, grant cancellations, and scrutiny from ex-Trump advisor Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.
—Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subjugate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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subjugate
verb
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