as in to subdue
to bring under one's control by force of arms
explorers who subjugated the natives in the name of religion
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Recent Examples of subjugate
Likewise, meekness once meant not becoming weak, but subjugating power to reason – not letting anger take control.
—
Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
However, once Hernán Cortés triumphed, the conquistadors went from waging war — vanquishing the Aztecs — to the project of subjugating Indigenous holdouts and building a self-sustaining territory loyal to the crown.
—Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
However, once Hernán Cortés triumphed, the conquistadors went from waging war — vanquishing the Aztecs — to the project of subjugating Indigenous holdouts and building a self-sustaining territory loyal to the crown.
—Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
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Sentiment has remained subdued ever since.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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The atmosphere at the Palace game was strangely subdued, to begin with, lacking the edge or jeopardy that would usually be associated at this stage of the season.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Public safety dominated the exchange, with sharp disagreements over crime trends, law enforcement authority and the role sheriffs should play in statewide policy.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
The Seahawks dominated the Patriots in a 29-13 victory in February that secured the franchise’s second NFL title.—
Rob Maaddi,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Such terrain seems impossible to conquer.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
9 May 2026
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Indian films have had huge success in the domestic market and in some neighboring countries but have not conquered the international market.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
5 May 2026
Verb
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Homeland Security officials even subjected him to a polygraph test, accusing him and other officials of leaking details of a private meeting.—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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Kevin Hart subjected himself to one of comedy’s most hallowed and excruciating traditions last night, the roast.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The left fielder had a big night against one of his former teams with a home run and four RBIs on Thursday as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Royals 6-2 in front of 14,913 at Rate Field.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
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The missile will reportedly have a host of capabilities intended to defeat ballistic missile defenses, but Russia has not built a good track record with the vehicle.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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