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
Although the Western genre is an ever-present influence, Grisebach subverts some of its tropes.
—
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 May 2026
The post-screening art projects are also a way to subvert some of the effects of artificial intelligence, which can too easily short-circuit the idea that one’s own imagination has the potential to be expansive and worthwhile.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
This harmless, doll-like look juxtaposed with the anger running through their punk discographies and unruly performances was meant to subvert the expectations of women as docile objects in the patriarchy.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026
Nolan instructed Göransson not to use an orchestra in the score, if only to subvert expectations for a swords-and-sandals film.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for subvert
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 May 2026
The post-screening art projects are also a way to subvert some of the effects of artificial intelligence, which can too easily short-circuit the idea that one’s own imagination has the potential to be expansive and worthwhile.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
This harmless, doll-like look juxtaposed with the anger running through their punk discographies and unruly performances was meant to subvert the expectations of women as docile objects in the patriarchy.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026
Nolan instructed Göransson not to use an orchestra in the score, if only to subvert expectations for a swords-and-sandals film.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for subvert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subvert
Verb
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Damaged pans may be harder to use safely and may continue degrading with heat, cleaning and metal utensils.—
Ryan Brennan
June 2,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
-
Years of degrading the Star Wars legacy with terrible, unwatchable streaming series and the disappointing end of the previous trilogy have taken their toll.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Systems must remain safe not only when components fail naturally, but when data is corrupted, communication is interrupted or execution is violated.—
John Wall,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Fueled by large stocks of critically dry vegetation and extreme winds, the fires killed 31 people, destroyed nearly 12,000 homes, and forced over 150,000 evacuations.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
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But satellite images reviewed by CNN show how Iran has used simple equipment such as bulldozers and dump trucks to counter those costly campaigns — suggesting that Tehran’s missile capabilities can’t be destroyed just by targeting tunnel entrances, experts said.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Linda Hyde, a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards member since 2014, boarded her Southwest flight on May 21 at Miami International Airport humiliated and angry.—
Ella Moore
Updated May 29,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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Strength is not the capacity to humiliate someone with less power.—
Marc Brackett,
Hartford Courant,
27 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
-
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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He was buried alive on a construction site and then poisoned by a venomous rattlesnake that crawled into his coffin and attacked him.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Just months after Netflix announced its plans to produce the series, Lin was poisoned and killed at age 39.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
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There is an effort to dilute the high-pH water in ditches that was contaminated with the large amount of chemicals that spilled, officials said.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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That case argued that Louisiana lawmakers illegally diluted Black voting power by failing to draw a second majority-Black district in a state where Black voters account for roughly one third of the population.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subvert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subvert. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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