subversion

noun

Definition of subversionnext
as in sabotage
secret efforts to weaken or ruin a political system or government from within They were arrested on charges of political subversion.

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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 subversion On most, delicate jewels were appliquéd to industrial Velcro to provide a point of subversion –– a pre-requisite in every Prada collection. — Scarlett Conlon, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 This Friday, the leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance who organized those vigils — Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho — will be sentenced for incitement to subversion. — Rowena He, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2026 Part bildungsroman, part romance, Doran’s fizzy yet intelligent interpretation is as self-assured as its protagonist, with anachronistic flourishes that pay homage to Sybylla’s spirit of subversion. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026 Mann delivers a fascinating subversion of the genre, anchored by a riveting Caan performance and some of the most specific set design and camerawork of the director’s career. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversion
  1. sabotage
  2. insurrection
  3. treason
  4. rebellion
  5. unrest
Noun
  • What follows is not just self-sabotage, but the crackling possibility of real self-reinvention, something both Joanne and Noah have already embraced.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026
  • European officials and law enforcement have warned repeatedly that Russia is waging a hybrid war against Europe, including sabotage, arson and vandalism, as well as influence operations.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of sabotage
Noun
  • The insurrection drew immediate and obvious parallels to the United States, which, during much of the past decade, has lurched alongside Brazil through a strange hall of mirrors.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond calling and readying Americans for a fight against the insurrection, Lincoln also outlined the meaning and memory of the conflict about to commence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of insurrection
Noun
  • The deaths of two CIA agents and two Mexican officers in an April crash after a drug-lab raid have triggered a rare federal treason case against Chihuahua’s former top prosecutor.
    — María Verza, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Mexico has not successfully brought to trial a charge of treason in decades despite a recent attempt.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of treason
Noun
  • Within 36 hours one of the prisoners had an apparent mental breakdown, and on the second day the inmates staged a rebellion.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In their utopian reconstruction of a mythic past, the Agrarians’ polemics failed to mention the South’s legacies of slavery and rebellion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • The unrest culminated in rioting and looting over the weekend, with officials estimating that the damages could be worth hundreds of millions of euros.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • France has had two consecutive quiet nights since the weekend’s unrest.
    — Samuel Petrequin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrest

Browse Nearby Words

subventions
subversion
subversions
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Cite this Entry

“Subversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversion. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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