as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
by insisting that she pay me for helping her, she subverted my noble desire to do a good deed without reward
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Recent Examples of subvert
Negotiations, compromise, limited strikes, sanctions, temporary deals—none of them stopped, or could stop, Iran’s drive for nuclear-weapons capacity, its incessant efforts to subvert neighbors, or its attempts to destroy the state of Israel.
—
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Kardashian subverted expectations at the 2021 Met Gala by arriving in a face-covering body stocking by Balenciaga.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
The inaugural season was about subverting expectations.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Rocha Moya and others named have denied the charges, calling them an attempt to subvert Mexico’s sovereignty.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subvert
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Kardashian subverted expectations at the 2021 Met Gala by arriving in a face-covering body stocking by Balenciaga.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
The inaugural season was about subverting expectations.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Rocha Moya and others named have denied the charges, calling them an attempt to subvert Mexico’s sovereignty.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subvert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subvert
Verb
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While those also degrade over time, there are a few structures, like bone and teeth, that are very robust and protect proteins from the environment.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
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For people with diabetes, heat degrades temperature‑sensitive medications and makes blood sugar harder to control.—
Anthony Nicome,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Verb
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As consumer activity has weakened, the central bank has warned about the growing misalignment between real sentiment and headline GDP growth.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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Heat can shrink fabrics, fade colors and weaken elastic fibers, which shortens the life of garments that would otherwise hold up for years.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
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An independent redistricting commission — transparent, balanced and insulated from the very political pressures that have corrupted this process.—
Daryl Campbell,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
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In an era when youth sports can sometimes feel corrupted by money, pressure and adult ego, the Lee Corso Legacy Fund serves as a reminder of what sports are supposed to be about in the first place.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Onions can be used as a companion plant to carrots to keep away the destructive carrot fly, a pest that can stunt the growth of carrots and even destroy entire plantings.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
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If an Entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or destroyed, entrant’s sole remedy shall be another entry into the Sweepstakes.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Those who don’t get the job leave diminished, sometimes humiliated, and the institution absorbs the damage quietly for years.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
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Blue is officially fired for injecting a patient with an unapproved drug, and in a devastating twist, he is humiliated by and forced to give his badge back to Richard in front of Catherine (Debbie Allen).—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Blanche is debasing himself and the law in this shameful pursuit.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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More than fifty golfers were willing to debase themselves in order to grab some of the Saudis’ cash.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The latter activity gives them some solid ground to plant their hooves on when George abruptly turns up dead one morning, poisoned by an unknown suspect.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
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One of us even faced an assassination plot in Canada and concluded he was poisoned in Russia for defending Iranian human rights lawyers and Russian dissidents.—
Irwin Cotler,
Time,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Revisions to four other districts across Richmond, southern Virginia and Hampton Roads would have diluted the voting power of conservative blocs in those areas.—
David A. Lieb,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
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Civil rights activists and Black lawmakers oppose the plans, arguing the new districts would dilute minority voting power and strip Black communities of representation.—
Kim Chandler,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subvert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subvert. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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