as in rebel
someone who tries to overthrow or undermine a governing power
They were outted as subversives and exiled from the country.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subversive
Noun
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On the battlefield, the nobles’ cavalry and superior artillery brutally cut down the rebels.—
Michael Bruening,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025 -
The rebels on Friday also claimed to have seized a second airport in the region, in the town of Kavumu outside Bukavu.—
JUSTIN KABUMBA,
arkansasonline.com,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters of those polled disapproved of Mr. Trump’s pardons for people convicted of violent crimes, and more than half disliked his pardons for even those convicted of nonviolent offenses.—
Meridith Kohut,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
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Of eight policies surveyed, his pardoning of people convicted of violent crimes in the January 6 Capitol riots was the least popular.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Britain, under the comparatively liberal Keir Starmer, has a rather more niche anxiety: that its citizens will leave and then return as insurgents.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2025
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Pakistani security forces killed 27 insurgents during a raid on a militant hideout, according to a statement from the country's military.—
John Mac Ghlionn,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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When Arnault took control of LVMH, his strategy wasn't revolutionary: maintaining luxury brand exclusivity while expanding global reach.—
Marius Ivanauskas,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
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Enter Khadija Imara who co-founded an innovative and revolutionary hair comb that efficiently unravels multiple braids at the same time while also detangling hair – The Original Unbraider.—
Sheilla Mamona,
refinery29.com,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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And Birmingham, the son of a police officer and a mom who did social work, admit to being something of an anarchist.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2025
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Naturally, that makes a hero of the last president to pull it off — even if McKinley did so reluctantly and had more than a few regrets before he was assassinated by an anarchist.—
David E. Sanger,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Subversive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subversive. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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