subversion

noun

Definition of subversionnext
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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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 subversion Part bildungsroman, part romance, Doran’s fizzy yet intelligent interpretation is as self-assured as its protagonist, with anachronistic flourishes that pay homage to Sybylla’s spirit of subversion. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026 Mann delivers a fascinating subversion of the genre, anchored by a riveting Caan performance and some of the most specific set design and camerawork of the director’s career. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in September 2021 with inciting subversion and face a maximum jail term of 10 years if convicted. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 Although the movie eventually loses steam (a side effect of its subversions of the genre, while using Ilyas’s awkward outsidership as an aesthetic North Star), Khan traces the care with which his characters try to chart invisible social lines. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversion
  1. sabotage
  2. insurrection
  3. treason
  4. rebellion
  5. unrest
Noun
  • The odds are not in her favor, owing as much to the industry’s profound systemic inequities as to Misty’s own penchant for self-sabotage.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Rubio warned that Russia’s war in Ukraine could widen into sabotage targeting NATO countries, turning a conflict between two nations into a broader regional crisis.
    — Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of sabotage
Noun
  • The film argues that those foundational principles — along with the amendment’s prohibition against those who engage in insurrection serving as heads of state — have come under unprecedented pressure in recent years.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Amendment is also a constitution’s mechanism for the prevention of insurrection.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of insurrection
Noun
  • When a pair of Israeli filmmakers released a documentary last month about civilian deaths in Gaza, party leaders across the spectrum, including Eisenkot, accused them of treason.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • In 1990, senior West German counterintelligence official Klaus Kuron was ​exposed as a Stasi spy and later convicted of treason.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of treason
Noun
  • The creators are describing the title as Inglourious Bastards, Quentin Tarantino’s down in the dirt revisionist World War Two movie, meets V for Vendetta, Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s anti-fascist British tale of rebellion.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • To pair the piece with Celine’s more tailored pieces like the trousers and blouse added a tonal contrast that still executed on its luxury aesthetic, though with a touch of rebellion.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines are among the countries that are most exposed to food security risk from the super El Niño and also face the highest risk of civil unrest due to rising prices, Verisk Maplecroft said.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • French youths have been demonstrating over poor conditions at school buildings, and analysts expect unrest to intensify after a teenager’s hand was blown off by a riot police sting grenade.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrest

Browse Nearby Words

subventions
subversion
subversions
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Cite this Entry

“Subversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversion. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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