subverting

verb

present participle of subvert
as in corrupting
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 subverting The show also pokes fun at the late 1990s and early 2000s liberal cultural consensus that was upheld in other popular culture of the time while also both replicating and subverting stereotypes of suburban Southern white Americans. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026 The state alleges OpenAI's rapid success stems from deceit and exploitation, causing widespread harm to Floridians and subverting public order. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026 Carter’s collection of fairytale retellings are macabre and sensual, highlighting female violence and subverting expectations of female sexuality at equal turns. — S.m. Hallow, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 No artist has had more fun subverting the conventions of the track ID than Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 July 2026 There must be accountability for Supreme Court justices that have taken part in subverting American democracy. — Oliver Adams Larkin, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026 Chronicle is one of the best superhero movies of the modern era, subverting many of the genre’s tropes and character types while indulging the right amount of camp and spectacle (and all under 90 minutes). — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026 These movies are about shocking and surprising the audience by setting up an expectation and then subverting that expectation. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 His work was often political, with his cartoonish art prints and couture creations subverting racist iconography from American history. — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subverting
  1. corrupting
  2. degrading
  3. weakening
  4. perverting
  5. destroying
  6. diluting
  7. deteriorating
  8. debauching
Verb
  • The Apology is Plato’s version of the speech of self-defense Socrates gives when he is tried by the city of Athens for corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods.
    — Agnes Callard, The New York Review of Books, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The judge also said that Nine PBS must find a third party, such as a former OSS worker, who can help retrieve the data within 30 days and without sharing or corrupting data belonging to other OSS clients.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of corrupting
Verb
  • For instance, excess ions fail to enter the graphite quickly enough and form performance-degrading metallic deposits on the surface (lithium plating).
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The Tate brothers built a global following, became extremely wealthy, and gained cultural and political influence by degrading and harming women.
    — Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of degrading
Verb
  • Throughout this year, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been weakening the Navy’s leadership by blocking the promotion of nearly 20 admirals.
    — Andrea N. Goldstein, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Wheat futures hit their highest level in more than three years as the war in Ukraine strained supplies, further weakening the global food system.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • The trial collapsed after the journalist was found to have tampered with evidence (he was later convicted of perverting the course of justice).
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 23 June 2026
  • He was also found guilty of perverting the court of justice.
    — StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of perverting
Verb
  • Pumping at high speeds creates a suction vortex (upconing) that violently draws heavy sludge into the production stream, fouling piping and destroying surface pumps.
    — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The tornado wreaked havoc in the village of 1,000 inhabitants, reducing homes to rubble and destroying numerous cars.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • State rules direct significantly more sales tax to the unincorporated general fund, diluting the share of property taxes.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The next three drivers ranked outside the Chase — Ross Chastain (12th at Richmond), Brad Keselowski (26th) and Erik Jones (27th) — also lost ground, diluting the potential drama of a surprise qualifier.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of diluting
Verb
  • Venezuela's industry has suffered from decades of underinvestment, deteriorating infrastructure and the loss of technical expertise.
    — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The woods surrounding the cottage also needed work to remove trash, deteriorating hunting structures and invasive species, the letter said.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deteriorating
Verb
  • The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of debauching

Browse Nearby Words

subverters
subverting
subverts
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Cite this Entry

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

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