as in sabotage
secret efforts to weaken or ruin a political system or government from within
They were arrested on charges of political subversion.
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Recent Examples of subversion
With a verdict still weeks away, the hearing on Friday drew fewer people than rulings and sentencings in recent cases such as the sedition trial against two Stand News journalists or the subversion trial against 47 pro-democracy politicians and activists.
—
Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2025
Such subversions can be seen as the story pivots from one twist to another and one surprise to the next.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2025
Hamas has obscured its subversion of aid by intimidating aid workers, civilians, and media outlets.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 29 July 2025
The appropriate response to a subversion of desirable and innate traits in us is not to revolt and flip the table.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for subversion
Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2025
Such subversions can be seen as the story pivots from one twist to another and one surprise to the next.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2025
Hamas has obscured its subversion of aid by intimidating aid workers, civilians, and media outlets.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 29 July 2025
The appropriate response to a subversion of desirable and innate traits in us is not to revolt and flip the table.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for subversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversion
Noun
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These have included sabotage of key infrastructure, arson, and assassination attempts against European defense executives.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
-
That means submitting a generic résumé is essentially career sabotage.—
Jill Schulman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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His judicial reach has extended deep into Brazil's political and digital spheres, with sweeping orders to block social media accounts linked to the January 2023 insurrection, sanctions against X (formerly Twitter), and criminal referrals for digital disinformation campaigns.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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Both Yoon and Kim have been arrested and are in jail, with Yoon already undergoing trial on charges that include insurrection following his ouster in April over a botched bid to impose martial law in December.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The main opposition party, CHADEMA, was disqualified in April and its leader Tundu Lissu remains in custody after he was charged with treason for demanding electoral reforms.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Ksenia Mironova copes with the absence of her fiancé, also a journalist, who is in prison on charges of treason.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Kirk's assassination is the most high-profile example yet of what extremism researchers at the NCRI see as an increasingly dangerous normalization of political violence—often masked as satire, rebellion, or dark humor online.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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One accommodation, the Rebel Suite, takes its design cues from the sea rebellions of Islay, full of nautical references, striking patterns, and bold green and blue hues.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Nepal’s current bout of political unrest started in early September, when a group of young Nepalis, fed up with seeing politicians’ children posting about their designer handbags and luxury travel while most people struggle to make ends meet, organized a peaceful protest.—
Sugam Pokharel,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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International headlines often paint Haiti as a nation gripped by crisis — from political unrest and economic hardship to uncertainty about the future and unruly crime.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When does compromise become treachery or defeat?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
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Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer?—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversion. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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