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
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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
Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
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
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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
-
Iranians were also celebrating the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that is more subdued this year.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Officers Emilio Campos and Christopher Doble were involved in the shooting and were not seriously injured while attempting to subdue Figueroa, police said.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ours are quests that lead to questions rather than conquests – journeys that gather instead of conquer.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Hauser stressed that the site could shed new light on the Parthian Empire, which controlled the city centuries after Alexander's conquest.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
A little speck on the metaphorical Southlake Carroll wall that’s been historically dominated by its eight-time state champion football program.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Its skyline is dominated by corporate high-rises, business hotels, and diplomatic dwellings—the US ambassador's house is a few minutes away.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Camus’s conspiracy that a cabal of powerful elites is plotting a great replacement to ensure the exploitation and domination of low- and middle-income White people is nothing short of a grand distraction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Nothing cleanses the palate in quite the way some magic from a darling like Miami (Ohio) or domination by Duke can.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Unable to conquer his doubts about that idea, Oosterhoff eventually soured on anthroposophy too.—
Charles Lane,
The Atlantic,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Ben Wang delivers a breakthrough performance in the title role as a kid who tries to conquer his anxiety issues head-on by running for class president.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The game was scoreless after the first half despite the United States dominating possession by nearly 70%.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Even with the Haaland situation dominating headlines, there are clear midfield priorities heading into the next gameweek.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even occasional use would subject people to a potential loss of their Second Amendment rights.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
-
In the most recent flare-up, the government restricted payment until WADA subjected itself to an independent audit.—
Eddie Pells,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Burleson defeated beat Fort Worth South Hills 5-0 on Thursday.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Four House members have lost primary bids for higher office, and another was defeated for renomination.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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