subverts

present tense third-person singular of subvert

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 subverts Psycho playfully subverts expectations and rejects structural norms to deliver one of the most surprising thrillers ever committed to film. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 Seen through the lens of the Civil War and its aftermath, the piece subverts every expectation. Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 Although the Western genre is an ever-present influence, Grisebach subverts some of its tropes. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 May 2026 The play subverts itself, never allowing an audience to gain a commanding foothill, even at the end when (suffice it to say) the watchers become the watched. Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026 With Manhunt, Felker-Martin subverts this convention, creating a post-contagion world in which trans women (and men and nonbinary people) not only exist but tell the story themselves across multiple viewpoint characters. Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026 While most women figure skaters are known to sport pristine buns and dance to very predictable classics and pop songs, Alysa Liu subverts the norm. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 20 Feb. 2026 Gourault often subverts the extractivist logic of new media technologies and employs open-source investigation in the production of his films. Farren Fei Yuan, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026 The textured outer elevates even the most basic outfits, while the oxblood hue subtly subverts expectations. Annie Blackman, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subverts
Verb
  • Because the watermark degrades with more thorough editing or in shorter samples of text, its usefulness may also be uneven depending on the department or assignment.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Monitoring their shifts shows that fast solar development degrades critical vegetation and food sources, threatening local biodiversity in ways other metrics often overlook.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The use of noble language to describe a process that weakens constitutional guardrails only widens the disconnect between words and actions.
    Yuripzy Morgan, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The erosion of those countries’ industrial capacity ultimately weakens their ability to compete with and resist China economically, diplomatically, and militarily.
    Bill Cassidy, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Forgetting his bond with the land, Mariano awakens the Ch’iqmi, a dark force that corrupts his people.
    Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 June 2026
  • One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • T cells, a type of immune cell that detects and destroys infected or abnormal cells, normally perform this inspection.
    William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The white dwarf emits radiation and produces a giant gas bubble—the lion’s face—that destroys dust in its path.
    Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Filming a scene in which Isaiah humiliates Cam, Withers asked Wayans to crack jokes about Kionte’s death — the defining event of Withers’ life, and his lowest point.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • The maneuver also dilutes heavily Republican districts, as some GOP legislators have warned.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
  • When a company dilutes its shareholders, the stock’s value has a high probability of declining.
    David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Verb
  • Production volumes may remain high over a short period, even as supply security deteriorates.
    Kari Stoever, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As the charging system deteriorates, electronic features may stop working properly.
    Michael Kurko, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Most frustratingly, the secret traitor demeans us, the audience.
    Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
  • That conflict comes to a head in the middle of campus in the film’s most intense scene, as Alma verbally belittles and demeans her until Maggie snaps and suddenly smacks her mentor.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Subverts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subverts. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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