as in obedience
a bending to the authority or control of another
an oligarchy requires subordination by the masses to the will of a tiny elite
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Recent Examples of subordination
The documentation should show the commercial rationale for the advance, a repayment schedule, any security or subordination terms, and actions consistent with a creditor relationship (for example, formal demands for payment, enforcement steps or arms‑length interest rates).
—
Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Trump’s Oval Office subordination of the Europeans was stunning.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
Imperialism is always about conquest and total subordination of one regime to another.
—Ronald Suny, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
Sheinbaum said members of her administration had been working with U.S. officials on a broader security agreement based on sovereignty, mutual trust, territorial respect and coordination without subordination.
—Jenna Sundel
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordination
Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Trump’s Oval Office subordination of the Europeans was stunning.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
Imperialism is always about conquest and total subordination of one regime to another.
—Ronald Suny, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
Sheinbaum said members of her administration had been working with U.S. officials on a broader security agreement based on sovereignty, mutual trust, territorial respect and coordination without subordination.
—Jenna Sundel
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subordination
Noun
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The group pledged full obedience to the new leader.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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Once Waukegan Park District dog obedience teacher Karin Magnuson instructs her charges on how to make their pets sit, get down, heel and stay, some return so their dogs can participate in the Ruffin Relays — a form of advanced training.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The eighth edition of the Joburg Film Festival wrapped Sunday, putting a bow on a busy week that saw organizers fielding a record 700 submissions from nearly 100 countries — a testament to their ongoing efforts to turn the growing event into the premier platform for cinema on the continent.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
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Then, the sound of our submission.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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It was geared not for mere compliance with user requests but for sound judgment.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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Last month, the company partnered with RegScale to integrate cybersecurity platforms that automate compliance monitoring across the US Department of Defense and other federal agencies.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subordination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subordination. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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