as in to subdue
to bring under one's control by force of arms
explorers who subjugated the natives in the name of religion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of subjugate
It’s subjugated to a larger sense of what’s called the universal destination of all goods.
—
Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
There’s her creative director, Celeste (filmmaker/actress Hailey Benton Gates), Charli’s friend and the only one with a foot in reality, but with no other purpose in life but to subjugate herself to her employer.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Not forcing her to go means hurting the other girl, forcing her to go means teaching your daughter that her own comfort should be subjugated to make someone else happy.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
The display features replicas of historical tools used to subjugate communities of color, including an interactive consensus that allows insight into how people would have been categorized over time.
—Sophia Arndt, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
There’s her creative director, Celeste (filmmaker/actress Hailey Benton Gates), Charli’s friend and the only one with a foot in reality, but with no other purpose in life but to subjugate herself to her employer.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Not forcing her to go means hurting the other girl, forcing her to go means teaching your daughter that her own comfort should be subjugated to make someone else happy.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
The display features replicas of historical tools used to subjugate communities of color, including an interactive consensus that allows insight into how people would have been categorized over time.
—Sophia Arndt, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
-
Police attempted multiple nonlethal methods to subdue the man, including the use of a Taser and pepper spray, before one officer fired a gun.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Backed by his wife’s wealthy family, Coronado hoped to amass a fortune equal to that of Hernan Cortez, who had brutally subdued the Aztecs.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Jayhawks dominated inside, scoring 40 points in the paint.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
-
As a result, Cleveland dominated the third quarter 37-20 to erase Miami’s 21-point lead and enter the fourth quarter with the game tied at 83-83.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Japanese conquered the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Alienation doesn’t only spur people to conquer the system that alienated them.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will subject nearly 55,000 Vermont Medicaid recipients to work requirements – about a third of the state's enrollees.—
Samantha Liss,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Is such an existential shriek into the abyss, all while living in a society suffused by mind-numbing grief and nationalism, worth subjecting yourself to?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Argyle defeated Abilene Wylie 2-0 on Friday.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
-
And the Marlins would defeat one of the worst teams in the history of baseball, the Colorado Rockies, 2-1.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 27,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
