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
Bubbling beneath the surface was a current of political subversion, led by Willy Chavarria, who was named favorite collection, best format and breakout talent by several buyers.
—
Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
An important aspect of the kinship between Irish and Black American culture is the spirit of subversion and play that arises because of this simultaneous dependence and antagonism.
—Benjamin Hale
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Hopefully that scene sort of sets up a little bit of the playfulness and a little bit of the storytelling subversion that Brian wanted to achieve in the show.
—Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 19 June 2025
And it was created during enslavement in an act of bold subversion.
—Samantha Balaban, NPR, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subversion
Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
An important aspect of the kinship between Irish and Black American culture is the spirit of subversion and play that arises because of this simultaneous dependence and antagonism.
—Benjamin Hale
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Hopefully that scene sort of sets up a little bit of the playfulness and a little bit of the storytelling subversion that Brian wanted to achieve in the show.
—Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 19 June 2025
And it was created during enslavement in an act of bold subversion.
—Samantha Balaban, NPR, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversion
Noun
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Intelligence officials warned that Russian operatives are using Telegram to recruit Latin American nationals with military backgrounds, exploiting economic vulnerabilities to enlist them for sabotage missions across Europe.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 July 2025
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Although sabotage is an old crime, Europe has struggled to combat the new ways of committing it.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
Noun
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The charge was incitement of insurrection based on his challenge of the 2020 election results and on his speech on January 6.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
11 Aug. 2025
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The judge set to preside over the bench trial, Charles R. Breyer, previously granted a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, ruling that the president unlawfully federalized the National Guard and that the protests didn’t amount to an insurrection.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Zambada’s capture has led to a treason investigation in Mexico, since under Mexican law, treason includes kidnapping someone and shipping them to another country.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
5 Aug. 2025
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Tulsi Gabbard accused him of treason regarding Russian influence in previous presidential elections.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Call it nostalgia or a rebellion against the clean functionality of minimalism, but romantic, decorative textiles are having a moment.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
13 Aug. 2025
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In a world that equates stress with productivity, peace becomes a form of rebellion—and power.—
Jonathan Low,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The proposal being evaluated now would allow the president to mobilize troops and put them on Title 32 orders in a state experiencing unrest.—
ALEX HORTON AND DAVID OVALLE THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
13 Aug. 2025
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The Interior Ministry report explicitly suggested the recognition of a Palestinian state as a means of quelling Islamic unrest, according to a translation from the Center for Security Policy.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Thus far, this prosecution, and a corresponding case against the gang in Sacramento, have been rife with evidence of treachery and violence inside and outside of prison.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
31 July 2025
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The six-parter, to debut July 14, follows six groups of friends, and six historical cases of murder and treachery among them.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversion. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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