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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 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 Subversion of the Source Material One of the biggest issues in Hollywood, especially over the last decade, is subversion of the source material. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026 And because of that canon, Tapert and Raimi are there to ensure that any subversions don’t go too far astray. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for subversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversion
  1. sabotage
  2. insurrection
  3. treason
  4. rebellion
  5. unrest
Noun
  • When self-sabotage could bring relief to their heightened agony, both models pressed that button.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Look at the scary stuff related to your finances, ask yourself better questions about your spending habits, and kill off the part of yourself that likes to self-sabotage.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of sabotage
Noun
  • Amendment is also a constitution’s mechanism for the prevention of insurrection.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • As Port falls in with a group of conspirators preparing for the insurrection, the book takes on a hallucinatory, digressive quality, blurring the lines between life and death, reality and illusion.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of insurrection
Noun
  • The Culture Minister has accused them of treason and sought to revoke their citizenship.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • These people are opening the door to our enemies, which used to be called treason.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of treason
Noun
  • It’s also brilliantly written as a futile, pathetic rebellion by men with zero agency or purpose in their own lives.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • In Fernández’s version, Antíkona’s insubordination inspires a peoples’ rebellion and brings an end to Klion’s rule due to his inability to treat citizens with common decency.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • Instead of calling for calm and letting the justice system work, too many political leaders on the left and progressive social influencers either fanned the flames of unrest or failed to act until enormous damage was done.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Already, many import-dependent countries face shortages, fiscal pressure, and in some cases a difficult choice between cutting fuel subsidies and risking unrest or maintaining them and further weakening public finances.
    — RICHARD HAASS, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 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 30 Sep. 2026.

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