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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Example Sentences
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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
Judy Berman, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Now back on the press circuit promoting The Moment as Charli xcx’s right-hand brat, Skarsgård stayed true to his subversive style by bringing a completely inappropriate, somehow incredibly sexy shoe to Sundance Film Festival.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 24 Jan. 2026
The regime’s supporters also engage in online spaces, and social media offers the state a way to spy on its subjects and punish any influencers who become too famous or subversive.
—Nahid Siamdoust, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Even the breakfast staff keep the hotel’s subversive edge alive, with a uniform that combines chic service suits with Adidas sneakers.
—Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
The film is provocative, but not subversive.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
There’s something really subversive about blocking that.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
This excellent continuation of the Predator franchise is a super-powered, subversive reboot/sequel from director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane).
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
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
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
Now back on the press circuit promoting The Moment as Charli xcx’s right-hand brat, Skarsgård stayed true to his subversive style by bringing a completely inappropriate, somehow incredibly sexy shoe to Sundance Film Festival.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 24 Jan. 2026
The regime’s supporters also engage in online spaces, and social media offers the state a way to spy on its subjects and punish any influencers who become too famous or subversive.
—Nahid Siamdoust, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Even the breakfast staff keep the hotel’s subversive edge alive, with a uniform that combines chic service suits with Adidas sneakers.
—Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
The film is provocative, but not subversive.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
There’s something really subversive about blocking that.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
This excellent continuation of the Predator franchise is a super-powered, subversive reboot/sequel from director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane).
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversive
Noun
-
The rebel militias under Ahmed al-Sharaa’s command had been lobbying for Turkey’s permission to launch a military operation, and finally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave it to them.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Violette briefly resurfaced in 2018 with a small solo show at Gladstone’s Upper East Side town house—an improbably tasteful site for an erstwhile rebel.—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Now polling suggests the public, and even Republican leaders in Congress, have stopped buying the White House’s claims that federal agents’ paramilitary-style raids only target violent criminals.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The takeover of the arts is less violent and a bit more insidious, but just as dangerous in its own right.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Authorities in the southwestern province are battling one of the deadliest flare-ups in years, as insurgents in the resource-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan step up assaults on security forces, civilians and infrastructure.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Nigeria’s military killed a top Boko Haram commander and 10 insurgents in a night raid in the northeastern state of Borno.—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Safe to say, military technology has yet to come up with another such revolutionary invention that changed human lives, when it was actually meant to destroy them.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Short for Four Player Grand Prix, this is a new indie racer developed by Vision Reelle and 3goo, very clearly inspired by Sega’s revolutionary Virtua Racing from 1992.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Investigators are not ruling out sabotage carried out by anarchists, citing similarities to the sabotage that targeted the French network during the 2024 Paris Olympics, when France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by multiple malicious acts including arson.—
Antonia Mortensen,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Choi is otherwise best known for her portrayal of Japanese anarchist Fumiko Kaneko in the historical drama Anarchist from Colony, which won her a slew of awards, including Best New Actress and Best Actress at the Grand Bell Awards, Korea’s equivalent to the Academy Award.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subversive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversive. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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