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
The plot subverts expectations from the off, and a combination of sharp writing and expert delivery from the all-star cast resulted in a hilarious, but also touching tale of redemption.
—
Grace Dean, Space.com, 3 July 2025
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn — amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action- gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2025
The final scene subverted what was previously known about Dave, a man established to be a passionate investigator and aspiring writer trapped in a complicated relationship.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 28 June 2025
Erotic surrender alone will not subvert or even really trouble the monarchy, which requires its own elaborately binding outfits and public displays of intimacy.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subvert
Grace Dean, Space.com, 3 July 2025
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn — amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action- gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2025
The final scene subverted what was previously known about Dave, a man established to be a passionate investigator and aspiring writer trapped in a complicated relationship.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 28 June 2025
Erotic surrender alone will not subvert or even really trouble the monarchy, which requires its own elaborately binding outfits and public displays of intimacy.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subvert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subvert
Verb
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Customer service was once rated among the highest in the American Customer Satisfaction Index – until relentless budget cuts started to degrade it.—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
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In 1984, Francis Crick described a biological conundrum: Memories last years, while most molecules degrade in days or weeks.—
Ajdina Halilovic,
Wired News,
6 July 2025
Verb
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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is 86 years-old and his political power is weakened following the short war with Israel.—
Jackie Northam,
NPR,
9 July 2025
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The June jobs report showed strong headline numbers, but the underlying data pointed to a weakening labor market.—
Danny Bakst,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Some have been corrupted by money and power, betraying each other as readily as the criminals do.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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Parliament has been corrupted by agents of a genocidal foreign power.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim wildfire: National Park Service says only hotel destroyed The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
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About 70 structures have been destroyed in the blaze, the NPS said, including a visitor’s center, a gas station, an administrative building and employee housing, Grand Canyon park Superintendent Ed Keable told the Associated Press.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Then two of his classmates did something magical. 'And I was humiliated again' The story Griffin started to tell began in first grade just after his family moved from one part of his suburban New York town to another, and Griffin was the new kid in school.—
Brad Schmitt,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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Why risk thousands of dollars to be humiliated and possibly denied entry?—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Read More: The Battle for Our Memory Is the Battle for Our Country But debasing our history through censorship and ideological cherry-picking insults the memory of the nine saints who were murdered at Mother Emanuel, desecrating its sacred space all over again.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
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An office that demands wisdom and restraint is now debased with churlish impulsivity, rambling incoherency and overt grift.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2025
Verb
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The health secretary said vegetable oils, like canola and soybean, are poisoning Americans and driving the obesity epidemic.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
8 July 2025
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Throughout a trial lasting more than two months, Patterson maintained the beef-and-pastry dish was accidentally poisoned with death cap mushrooms, the world’s most-lethal fungus.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Fill the glass with ice, and repeat with the other glass. 3: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, stir together the Earl Grey simple syrup, lime juice and smoked paprika until thoroughly chilled and diluted, about 15 seconds.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 July 2025
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Such critics are concerned that our approach might dilute the sense of urgency necessary and undermine public messaging.—
Francesco Rubino,
Time,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subvert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subvert. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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