subversive 1 of 2

noun

Definition of subversivenext
as in rebel
someone who tries to overthrow or undermine a governing power They were outted as subversives and exiled from the country.

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subversive

2 of 2

adjective

as in violent
seeking to overthrow or undermine a governing power A subversive organization determined to unseat a leader who they believed operated outside the law.

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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 subversive
Noun
Kristen Stewart loves to be a little subversive with her fashion choices. — Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 23 June 2026 The seamless integration of old and new feels stealthy, and a touch subversive, a doubling-down on the museum’s approach to time as nonlinear, sinuous and delightfully slippery. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Instead, the stylish couple spent the construction years combing through vintage markets, building a concept that’s classic, but singular and a little subversive. — Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026 On November 25, 1947, a majority of Hollywood top brass met at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and drafted the notorious Waldorf Statement that promised no studio would employ anyone who was a communist or suspected subversive. — Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025 Loners lashing out America has had genuine subversives and left-wing terror networks in the past. — Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025 An obsession with Perfidia Beverly Hills (a magnetic Teyana Taylor), the animating figure behind a militant organization called the French 75 and the most stunning subversive to flaunt an automatic weapon while heavily pregnant. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025 To dissidents, she has been seen as a hero putting her life on the line; to Modi’s supporters, as a dangerous subversive who is anti-national and anti-Hindu. — Anderson Tepper, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025 André's chaotic talk show, The Eric Andre Show (2012–2023), established the actor and comedian as a true subversive, which makes his turns in projects such as The Lion King (2019) and Trolls Band Together (2023) that much more amusing. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
As members of a generation raised on YouTube, Slushy Noobz feels quietly subversive. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026 At the same time, Girl Talk gives the production a smoothness that makes the songs feel more subversive and never disposable. — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 24 Aug. 2026 His overreaching executive authority and voter suppression attempts amount to subversive governance. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026 The Valen seems tailored to capture some of these customers, bridging the gap between the Valhalla and the Vanquish with a unique, slightly subversive twist on what an Aston Martin can be. — Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026 The short story’s subversive power is inversely correlated to its popularity, even to its academic credibility. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026 The State Department’s 2026 report on Cuba cites the subcommittee’s hearings as its only evidence that the Fair Play for Cuba Committee was subversive. — Aaron Coy Moulton, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026 Paul Verhoeven’s subversive blockbuster shrewdly toys with Quaid’s — and our — sense of reality. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026 When worn with a chic cut-out dress or linen maxi, dad sneakers become deliciously subversive. — Amber Rambharose, InStyle, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversive
  1. rebel
  2. violent
  3. insurgent
  4. revolutionary
  5. anarchist
Noun
  • In her 1974 novel The Hearing Trumpet, a nonagenarian vegetarian heroine named Marian rebels against patriarchal institutions.
    — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Al-Sharaa ousted President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 in an offensive led by HTS rebels.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • Their arrival comes during a violent week in Haiti; at least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped, according to Haitian officials.
    — Nathan Lee, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Karilyn Orr, an internal safety and prevention specialist in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and Nick Jakubisin, a special agent in the Illinois State Police’s violent crimes unit, joined Hills in the presentation.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of violent
Noun
  • The insecurity landscape is also more chaotic because some groups, after initially being invited to help defend against insurgents, turned into terrorists, said Dengiyefa Angalapu, an analyst at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The intervention underscores Russia’s new role as protector of military regimes across the Sahel, where Africa Corps has replaced Wagner and prioritizes keeping juntas in power over battling insurgent groups.
    — Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of insurgent
Adjective
  • In addition to traditional library services, the indoor-outdoor space feels like an adventure center, with a revolutionary lending system for items like kites and snowshoes.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Tehran continues to adhere to the core features of its revolutionary ideology, including its anti-American and anti-Israeli foreign policy, but can also act with pragmatism when circumstances demand it.
    — Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of revolutionary
Noun
  • Among those waiting to meet the president was Leon Czolgosz, a 28-year-old anarchist who considered the government oppressive.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • President William McKinley was shot twice at close range by an anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of anarchist

Browse Nearby Words

subversions
subversive
subversives
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Cite this Entry

“Subversive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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