as in rebel
someone who tries to overthrow or undermine a governing power
They were outted as subversives and exiled from the country.
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as in violent
seeking to overthrow or undermine a governing power
A subversive organization determined to unseat a leader who they believed operated outside the law.
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Recent Examples of subversive
Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
Loners lashing out America has had genuine subversives and left-wing terror networks in the past.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
An obsession with Perfidia Beverly Hills (a magnetic Teyana Taylor), the animating figure behind a militant organization called the French 75 and the most stunning subversive to flaunt an automatic weapon while heavily pregnant.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
To dissidents, she has been seen as a hero putting her life on the line; to Modi’s supporters, as a dangerous subversive who is anti-national and anti-Hindu.
—Anderson Tepper, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
André's chaotic talk show, The Eric Andre Show (2012–2023), established the actor and comedian as a true subversive, which makes his turns in projects such as The Lion King (2019) and Trolls Band Together (2023) that much more amusing.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Samanth Subramanian, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Known for combining high fashion with streetwear, Bad Bunny has a reputation for adventurous and subversive style.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The demonstration of the cost of the labor is genuinely subversive, even remarkable.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
The risk is in presuming that anything subversive or sensational is also true and meaningful, and that anything conventional is a lie that must be smashed down.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Analysts have cited Night of the Living Dead as a subversive commentary on the Vietnam War, which was raging at the time of the film's release.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Anne-Sofie Madsen took winter footwear in a distinctly subversive direction, collaborating with Ugg on spiky, clawed variations of its classic boot.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2026
This is an oddly subversive notion of tradition, the past as secret society.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, whose resume in this genre includes the Aquaman movies as well as HBO’s subversive Watchmen series, is our self-sabotaging would-be hero, Simon Williams, a struggling actor first seen getting fired from American Horror Story for overthinking a minor role.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
On November 25, 1947, a majority of Hollywood top brass met at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and drafted the notorious Waldorf Statement that promised no studio would employ anyone who was a communist or suspected subversive.
—Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
Loners lashing out America has had genuine subversives and left-wing terror networks in the past.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
An obsession with Perfidia Beverly Hills (a magnetic Teyana Taylor), the animating figure behind a militant organization called the French 75 and the most stunning subversive to flaunt an automatic weapon while heavily pregnant.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
To dissidents, she has been seen as a hero putting her life on the line; to Modi’s supporters, as a dangerous subversive who is anti-national and anti-Hindu.
—Anderson Tepper, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
André's chaotic talk show, The Eric Andre Show (2012–2023), established the actor and comedian as a true subversive, which makes his turns in projects such as The Lion King (2019) and Trolls Band Together (2023) that much more amusing.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
But go for the electric atmosphere, the camaraderie of fans all wearing their lurid synthetic jerseys, and the gravitational pleasure of cheering for a team at its home ground (or indeed, the subversive thrill of cheering for the away team).
—Samanth Subramanian, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Known for combining high fashion with streetwear, Bad Bunny has a reputation for adventurous and subversive style.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The demonstration of the cost of the labor is genuinely subversive, even remarkable.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
The risk is in presuming that anything subversive or sensational is also true and meaningful, and that anything conventional is a lie that must be smashed down.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Analysts have cited Night of the Living Dead as a subversive commentary on the Vietnam War, which was raging at the time of the film's release.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Anne-Sofie Madsen took winter footwear in a distinctly subversive direction, collaborating with Ugg on spiky, clawed variations of its classic boot.
—Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2026
This is an oddly subversive notion of tradition, the past as secret society.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, whose resume in this genre includes the Aquaman movies as well as HBO’s subversive Watchmen series, is our self-sabotaging would-be hero, Simon Williams, a struggling actor first seen getting fired from American Horror Story for overthinking a minor role.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversive
Noun
-
Additionally, attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen on shipping routes in the Red Sea have slashed Suez Canal revenues, which is a major source for foreign currency.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The actor who played soft-hearted rebel Shawn Hunter joined his former costar Matthew Lawrence and his brothers, Andrew and Joey Lawrence, on Friday's episode of their Brotherly Love podcast.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Again, legal observers and ordinary citizens captured his violent death from several angles.—
Nick Woltman,
Twin Cities,
22 Feb. 2026
-
As the hours passed, violent events were replicated in Colima, Nayarit, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato, where blockades and attacks on infrastructure are multiplying.—
Claudia Núñez,
AZCentral.com,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Her move caps a remarkable two years for the insurgent right-wing party, rebranded from Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, which has led every opinion poll for the past 10 months and is widely seen as a serious contender to form the next government.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
24 Feb. 2026
-
If enough Boca Raton voters are fed up with this ugly trend — and strong signs show an anti-incumbent backlash in the city — the insurgent Liebelson could win.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Created during the era of revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, the United Front has since morphed under present day leader Xi Jinping into a vast propaganda and influence machine designed to pressure citizens at home and overseas to support Chinese Communist Party (CCP) policies.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
One year ago, a baby from Delaware County, Pennsylvania, became the first person in the world to receive a new revolutionary therapy at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That’s partially due to bandleader Caspian Honeywell’s time on the circuit in the defunct anarchist group Blackbird Raum, who jump-started the folk-punk movement almost 20 years ago.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
23 Feb. 2026
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All were marked for assassination by an anarchist cook named Jean Crones, who spiked the soup stock with arsenic.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subversive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversive. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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