subversion

noun

sub·​ver·​sion səb-ˈvər-zhən 

-shən

1

: the act of subverting : the state of being subverted

especially : a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within

2

obsolete : a cause of overthrow or destruction

subversionary

səb-ˈvər-zhə-ˌner-ē 

-shə-

adjective

subversive

səb-ˈvər-siv 

-ziv

adjective or noun

subversively adverb

subversiveness noun

Did you know?

Subversion is literally the "turning over" of something. In the 1950s and '60s, many people worried about communist subversion of the U.S. government, though they often saw subversive activities where none existed. Nondemocratic governments often claim that anyone who disagrees with them or joins a demonstration is a subversive. But subversion isn't always quite so serious a matter; when words like weekend, sandwich, job, *and *camping started being used by the French, for example, some of them began claiming that America was subverting their language.

Examples of subversion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Former President Trump's lawyers' request to delay their response to special counsel Jack Smith's immunity motion in his 2020 election subversion case was granted by a federal judge on Monday. —Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024

Trump pleaded not guilty in federal court in Washington, D.C. Both cases were mired in delays as Trump appealed various aspects of the prosecutions, including an immunity challenge brought by Trump in his federal election subversion case that made it all the way to the Supreme Court. —Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2024

The retrospective, which currently occupies an entire floor of the museum, is organized non-chronologically such that Schütte’s early subversions of Minimalism and Conceptualism, dating back to the 1970s, are interspersed among his more recent creations. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Oct. 2024

Subtle subversions of mundanity seemed to be the intention. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 1 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin subversion-, subversio, from Latin subvertere

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing subversion

• anti-subversion

Kids Definition

subversion

noun

sub·​ver·​sion səb-ˈvər-zhən 

: the act of overthrowing : the state of being overthrown

especially : an attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly within the country involved

subversive

-ˈvər-siv 

-ziv

adjective or noun

subversively adverb

Legal Definition

subversion

noun

sub·​ver·​sion səb-ˈvər-zhən 

: a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working from within

also : the crime of committing acts in furtherance of such an attempt

subversionary

-zhə-ˌner-ē 

adjective

subversive

-ˈvər-siv 

adjective or noun

subversively adverb

subversiveness noun