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
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
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
That power was built up over centuries partly to compensate for the humiliation, subjugation, and grievous bondage of Russia’s history, real and imagined.
—
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 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
Across TikTok, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, Goodreads, and Reddit, reactions have focused less on the craft of fiction writing than on the spiritual subjugation of women that any media about this topic must, by nature, interrogate and include.
—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
That power was built up over centuries partly to compensate for the humiliation, subjugation, and grievous bondage of Russia’s history, real and imagined.
—
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subjugate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugate
Verb
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Upon their return, most ended up in countries that were invaded and subdued by the German army.
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Over a decade, more than 1,000 people have died across the country after police subdued them through means not intended to be lethal, such as physical holds, Tasers and body blows, an investigation led by The Associated Press found.
Verb
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Hong Kong/Hangzhou/Beijing — When humanoid robots dominated the stage of last year’s Spring Festival Gala with sleek dance routines, Ai Lin saw more than a spectacle.
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Brazil has dominated possession but has not turned that into opportunities to score.
Verb
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But Alexca, a bubbly toddler who giggles and runs about, has conquered her grandmother’s heart.
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Shooting in August, the film follows Asa Jones, a girl from Louisiana who wants to conquer the world of girls’ basketball.
Verb
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For an entire weekend, these architects lived and hung out together while scientists subjected them to a litany of personality tests.
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Now, the administration is proposing to subject certain types of combination biologics to negotiation in some cases.
Verb
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Huffines defeated Kelly Hancock, a longtime Abbott ally who the governor appointed to the seat in July.
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In the early matchups, Ecuador upset Germany, Ivory Coast beat Curaçao 2-0, the Netherlands defeated Tunisia 3-1, and Japan and Sweden tied 1-1.
Cite this Entry
“Subjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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