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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
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
The charade looked like something out of a Western movie — American military subjugating yet another Native American tribe.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
Now governments around the world are attempting to bring these companies to heel, subjugating them to the aims of nationalist politics rather than allowing their products to spread freely.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subjugate. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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subjugate
verb
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