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
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
Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
By the closing epilogue of the MM romance novel, the author must figure out how to create honest stakes for a gay couple in an overwhelmingly heteronormative context that threatens the heroes with societal subjugation and maybe even physical punishment.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Verb
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
Noun
America is rooted in the rejection of arbitrary power and the subjugation of the individual to the state.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
By the closing epilogue of the MM romance novel, the author must figure out how to create honest stakes for a gay couple in an overwhelmingly heteronormative context that threatens the heroes with societal subjugation and maybe even physical punishment.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
-
For Israel, which had to vacate its Sinai conquest in 1956, there are parallels, too.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Its latest chart conquest comes after the group — Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — completed mandatory military service.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
29 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
Noun
-
Since dark energy rose to domination, however, the opposite is true.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Us senior surfers need to stick together to hold off the hordes of nasty agro kidbots that are violently intent on world domination and the spread of nuclear surf rabies and mad Red Bull disease.—
Corky Carroll,
Oc Register,
28 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
Noun
-
The Wildcats were never seriously tested by John Calipari’s Razorbacks, practically waltzing into the Elite Eight with a dominating win in San Jose.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The Fighting Illini are dreaming of a trip to the Sweet 16 after a dominating win Thursday night against Penn.—
Ryan Baker,
CBS News,
21 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
