as in conquest
the act or process of bringing someone or something under one's control
the subjugation of much of Europe by Napoléon
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Recent Examples of subjugation
Across TikTok, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, Goodreads, and Reddit, reactions have focused less on the craft of fiction writing than on the spiritual subjugation of women that any media about this topic must, by nature, interrogate and include.
—
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
That power was built up over centuries partly to compensate for the humiliation, subjugation, and grievous bondage of Russia’s history, real and imagined.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
In pre-Christian Ireland, sucking breasts was a way of showing subjugation to a king and the cutting out of Old Croghan Man’s nipples is, historians believe, an indication that he had been thus stripped of his claims to kingship.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
The continent’s failure to learn could lead not just to the subjugation of individual nations but to the end of the European project.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Many slaves, Murray noted, internalized this ideal of American freedom despite their own subjugation.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
After weeks of subjugation at Linda's hands, Bradley discovers that his fiancée and her boat guide had come to the island to rescue them—but Linda killed the pair to avoid returning to the real world.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
America is rooted in the rejection of arbitrary power and the subjugation of the individual to the state.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
This aggressive subjugation of a country that was not, in fact, a threat to the United States doesn’t make America safer or more prosperous and likely makes the whole region less stable.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
That power was built up over centuries partly to compensate for the humiliation, subjugation, and grievous bondage of Russia’s history, real and imagined.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
In pre-Christian Ireland, sucking breasts was a way of showing subjugation to a king and the cutting out of Old Croghan Man’s nipples is, historians believe, an indication that he had been thus stripped of his claims to kingship.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
The continent’s failure to learn could lead not just to the subjugation of individual nations but to the end of the European project.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Many slaves, Murray noted, internalized this ideal of American freedom despite their own subjugation.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
After weeks of subjugation at Linda's hands, Bradley discovers that his fiancée and her boat guide had come to the island to rescue them—but Linda killed the pair to avoid returning to the real world.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
America is rooted in the rejection of arbitrary power and the subjugation of the individual to the state.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
This aggressive subjugation of a country that was not, in fact, a threat to the United States doesn’t make America safer or more prosperous and likely makes the whole region less stable.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subjugation
Noun
-
Away from the obvious icons lie natural wonders where ecology, history, and culture remain tightly interwoven, and where human presence has often been defined by restraint rather than conquest.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Morris scooped the world in 1953 with the news of the British expedition’s conquest of Everest.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Many Indians and students of colonialism see it as a symbol of the British Empire and the domination and plunder of imperialism.—
Emma Caughlan,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
-
That Dalglish’s vast contribution in Liverpool’s domination of English football over the previous decade would have helped him in sticky spots is a reminder that Slot has little to fall back on.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite dominating possession – the Quakes finished with a 37-6 edge in shots – the Black and Blue weren’t able to equalize until Jasinski’s towering header off a corner kick from Niko Tsakiris in the 57th minute.—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Brimming with confidence, Palencia then emerged as the dominating closer during Team Venezuela’s emotional run to a World Baseball Classic title.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subjugation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subjugation. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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