Subvert

Pronunciation: /səbˈvərt/

Definitions of subvert

verb to undermine or overthrow something, such as a government or authority

Example Sentences

A1 The villain tried to subvert the hero's plan.

A2 The students decided to subvert the teacher's authority by playing a prank.

B1 The political group attempted to subvert the government's policies through protests.

B2 The hacker was able to subvert the security measures and gain access to sensitive information.

C1 The corporation was accused of trying to subvert competition by engaging in unethical business practices.

C2 The conspiracy was uncovered when it was revealed that high-ranking officials were working to subvert the democratic process.

Examples of subvert in a Sentence

formal The group attempted to subvert the government through a series of covert operations.

informal She's always trying to subvert the rules to get her way.

slang They're planning to subvert the system and make some quick cash.

figurative His words were meant to subvert the traditional beliefs and challenge the status quo.

Grammatical Forms of subvert

• past tense: subverted
• plural: subverts
• comparative: more subversive
• superlative: most subversive
• present tense: subvert
• future tense: will subvert
• perfect tense: has subverted
• continuous tense: is subverting
• singular: subvert
• positive degree: subvert
• infinitive: to subvert
• gerund: subverting
• participle: subverted

Origin and Evolution of subvert

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'subvert' originated from the Latin word 'subvertere', which is a combination of 'sub' meaning 'under' and 'vertere' meaning 'to turn'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in the 14th century with the meaning 'to overturn or overthrow', the word 'subvert' has evolved to also mean 'to undermine or destabilize' in a more general sense.