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
-
Betts subdued the momentum with a block on Booker’s layup attempt with 20 seconds left, and Rice then made two free throws, sending Close’s crew into the title game.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
-
There, the pioneers—practical, inventive, restless, exuberant white men—clashed with Indigenous peoples, subduing them and a wilderness filled with wild animals and abundant natural resources.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Together, Murillo said, these dynamics created a mining economy dominated by armed group — a structure that remains largely intact as foreign investment begins to explore entry into the sector.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
If someone dominates the conversation, pivot with a smart question — try to say something that could interest quieter individuals, so everyone gets a chance to speak.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Over the centuries, it would be conquered by empires of varying beliefs.—
Seth Doane,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Discipline, toughness, perfect technique, a nutty compulsion to conquer the world’s most inhospitable bodies of water?—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But Almodóvar does here, and has at least one character subjecting Raul’s screenplay, and so Elsa’s story, to serious criticism of its faulty structure.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Before Poway first approved the development decades ago, the site was subjected in 2001 to an archaeological survey that found hundreds of Native American artifacts recovered, in addition to about 10 grams of bone — discoveries the review deemed culturally significant.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In his March Madness brackets, Obama has the Arizona Wildcats men defeating the Duke Blue Devils (who have already been upset) and UConn's women's team winning it all.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Wolverines defeated the Mustangs in state semis last year and in 2021 and 2025 and won state title games against Grapevine in 2018 and 2022.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
