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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in conquest
the act or process of bringing someone or something under one's control
the subjugation of much of Europe by Napoléon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subjugate
Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Its power-hungry men have made laws that subjugate women to follow an extreme set of laws that essentially gives the government total control of their bodies.
—Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 7 Nov. 2025
Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
This level of dealmaking far exceeds the bowling alley bets and small-time street gambles that have shaped Marty’s way of moving in the world, and Rockwell represents the kind of ruthless American capitalism and competition that requires humiliation and subjugation.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Verb
But these moves and a little patience could help set the conditions for a resolution over time—one that doesn’t involve Russia destroying and subjugating its neighbor.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Its power-hungry men have made laws that subjugate women to follow an extreme set of laws that essentially gives the government total control of their bodies.
—Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
This aggressive subjugation of a country that was not, in fact, a threat to the United States doesn’t make America safer or more prosperous and likely makes the whole region less stable.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
This level of dealmaking far exceeds the bowling alley bets and small-time street gambles that have shaped Marty’s way of moving in the world, and Rockwell represents the kind of ruthless American capitalism and competition that requires humiliation and subjugation.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
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The last Winter Olympics, held in Beijing during COVID, were subdued.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
6 Feb. 2026
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Fans in the arena have been fairly subdued, but an in-house DJ has made a steady stream of dance hits the day’s soundtrack.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The conquest of Gaul is hailed as a great military feat.—
Paul Vanderbroeck,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
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Viewpoint girls begin conquest for second straight title The Patriots will enter the Division 4 bracket, one division higher than the bracket Viewpoint championed in 2024.—
Justin Vigil Zuniga,
Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The rival bids have drawn scrutiny from antitrust experts and lawmakers, who worry that either death could reduce competition in an entertainment industry already dominated by streaming giants.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
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It’s speculated that a runaway greenhouse effect took place on Venus long ago, leading to its dense, thick, hot atmosphere, dominated by carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid clouds.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The suggestion that Elliott is simply not cut out for the Premier League following an aggressive shift towards physicality and set-piece domination is lazy, but there’s no hiding that Villa was simply not the right fit.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Still, Saturday’s domination was shocking.—
Mike Cook,
Twin Cities,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The last hurrah was a free agent spending spree designed to conquer the Dallas Cowboys that resulted in their last championship following the 1994 season, enabling Steve Young to escape the shadow of Joe Montana with a 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Miami.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
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The Ovelyn partition divides but doesn’t necessarily conquer your design, thanks to its minimal and timeless silhouette.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After years of oversized, floor-sweeping fur dominating winter street style, the mood is shifting toward something more subtle—but every bit as fabulous.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
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Yet despite its dominating presence on Wall Street, OpenAI is getting cold feet about the company’s offerings.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Revelations in 2020 that Boohoo’s Leicester contractors were subjecting their workers to exploitative pay and unsafe conditions certainly sullied the Midlands city’s reputation.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
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The environmental group has argued that the exchange of funds between the state and federal governments is the trigger that would subject the Everglades detention center to environmental impact assessment regulations.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In 2022, Horvath won her supervisorial seat, defeating former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, a political veteran.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Landsman, a Cincinnati Democrat, defeated Sonza 54% to 46% in 2024.—
Erin Glynn,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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