SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
subvert
verb
To undermine or overturn an established system, authority, or accepted principle.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Undermine or overturn
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSubvert attacks the foundations or accepted purpose of something. Erode often suggests gradual weakening; overthrow implies a completed removal from power.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See subvert in use
The novel uses humor to subvert the town's rigid social rules.
A clique then tried to subvert the open application system by secretly steering every available space toward its own members.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
- SUBVERT Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
- Princeton WordNet 3.0: wn30-v-02402409, wn30-v-02543607
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license