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
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
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
Elan Journo, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
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
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
The continent’s failure to learn could lead not just to the subjugation of individual nations but to the end of the European project.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Verb
Its founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, established a religious dictatorship that subjugates the Iranian people under sharia law, while zealously exporting its dogma by force.
—Elan Journo, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
In pre-Christian Ireland, sucking breasts was a way of showing subjugation to a king and the cutting out of Old Croghan Man’s nipples is, historians believe, an indication that he had been thus stripped of his claims to kingship.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
The continent’s failure to learn could lead not just to the subjugation of individual nations but to the end of the European project.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
-
To even entertain a reality that absurd would require a faith in the American Dream blind enough to subdue the nightmare.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
-
Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Leo cited the 16th century Spanish intellectual tradition, known as the School of Salamanca, that gave rise to concepts of international law and inherent human rights after Spain’s colonial conquests of the Americas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
The study does not dispute Sparta's later reputation as a military power, but argues the city-state's origins were not just a simple story of conquest.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The bolt-on deal trend According to PitchBook data, the vast majority of capital allocation is currently concentrated in strategic acquisitions and corporate add-ons rather than leveraged buyouts, with drug discovery dominating the deal flow.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
-
The Knicks, meanwhile, have dominated the playoffs by winning 11 games in a row.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
One such set lies in the city’s Flavelle, Port Moody location, where a sprawling makeshift village depicts different boroughs of Ba Sing Se, the next target in Fire Lord Ozai’s mission for global domination.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
-
But neither franchise domination, AI nor streaming make Spielberg fret for the future of movies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
About intermittent success, too, followed by inevitable regression in the only game the United States takes seriously yet cannot seem to conquer the world in.—
Leander Schaerlaeckens
June 8,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
The decades-old smash, from perhaps the bestselling artist of all time, has never managed to conquer the list of the bestselling R&B-only tunes via platforms like iTunes.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Crosby helped invent the modern multimedia entertainer, dominating radio, records, film, and later television with a reach almost unimaginable without social media.—
Michelle Duncan,
Architectural Digest,
2 June 2026
-
Díaz’s dominating force in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations won him the tournament’s golden boot and secured Morocco’s place in the final.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Capitol police officers have sued over the initiative in a Washington, DC federal court, saying the fund could further embolden people who have already subjected them to harassment and death threats.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
-
Such orders are intended to prevent an individual from subjecting another person to acts of violence, intimidation or harassment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The food, beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and agribusiness lobbies do not need to defeat MAHA in public debate.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
But environmentalists and other stakeholders said giving too many concessions to fossil fuel interests would defeat the program’s purpose, which is to drive down emissions along a pathway consistent with what scientists say could preserve a recognizable climate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
