as in degrades
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 subverts
The story begins on a train, somewhat subverts the typical strangers-on-a-train narrative in which a chance encounter leads to a love story (that is, the Linklater version rather than the Hitchcock one).
—
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 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
His ability to play with genre in the most unexpected way shines through in this gripping story which expertly subverts your expectations in the most thrilling and surprising way.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
The razor-sharp slasher, which leans into and subverts genre tropes, also stars Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan, Courtney Cox, Jamie Kennedy and David Arquette, among others.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2025
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 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
His ability to play with genre in the most unexpected way shines through in this gripping story which expertly subverts your expectations in the most thrilling and surprising way.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
The razor-sharp slasher, which leans into and subverts genre tropes, also stars Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan, Courtney Cox, Jamie Kennedy and David Arquette, among others.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subverts
Verb
-
Instead of following the usual low-energy breakdown, the material degrades more slowly through a higher-energy pathway.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Rising demand for biomass fuels also degrades watersheds and wildlife habitats as people go deeper into previously undisturbed areas, increasing pressure on ecosystems and the species that depend on them.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That inconsistency weakens the institution, erodes public trust, and leaves voters increasingly frustrated with both parties.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
The anti-diversity law weakens community expression.—
Jon Harris Maurer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The criticism most often leveled at proposals to support journalism is that government money corrupts editorial independence, which is a very real concern.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After hundreds to thousands of years, the feeding black hole or neutron star falls into the stellar core and destroys it, creating a luminous emission.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
Federal debt destroys wealth and impedes economic growth.—
Rose Evans
May 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
And the President doesn’t seem to mind if Vance humiliates himself running errands.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Later that season, Eric humiliates Bill in front of their Pierpoint colleagues by insulting his work quality and Bill dies from brain cancer.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Breaking from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and creating a new County department should not mean building another costly layer of bureaucracy that dilutes resources meant for people in crisis.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
Now, Perez said branches are leaving the union because of high turnover in retail banking, which dilutes the original union-supporting staff and allows the company to re-educate new hires with anti-union talking points.—
Chase Jordan
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hospitals use the same billing codes for the ER visit, whether a patient’s condition deteriorates or not.—
Andrew Jones,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Her condition rapidly deteriorates to the point where Abbott and Robby are forced to do a C-Section in the ER, with seconds to spare to save her life and the life of the baby.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 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
Cite this Entry
“Subverts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subverts. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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