as in subjecting
to bring under one's control by force of arms
it is one of the lessons of history that more powerful civilizations often subordinate weaker ones
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Recent Examples of subordinating
Although China is eager to use BRICS as a platform to expand its influence and advertise its governance model, other members remain wary of subordinating their interests to Beijing’s ambitions.
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Oliver Stuenkel, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subordinating
Verb
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From there, lab directors select the wells with the highest concentrations of each virus, subjecting a reserved portion to further genetic analysis, which shows which subtype of each virus is present.—
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She was bound and kidnapped as the trio drove her to Broward County, subjecting her to six to 10 hours of threatening to kill and rape her — at one point assaulting her.—
Verb
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Food and drink All-conquering culinary Alpinist Jean-Georges Vongerichten has planted his flag in Dublin at Jean-Georges at The Leinster.—
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The key to conquering such a bold shade?—
Verb
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As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
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The past two months of mostly sideways churn within 3% of record highs for the S & P 500 has helped to rebalance the market, puncturing the aggressive sense of destiny around many AI plays, subduing some speculative misbehavior and allowing valuations to settle.—
Verb
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Rather than creating a harsh line, the fresh fringe moves and breathes, complementing her features instead of dominating them.—
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That fuels hopes that pills could help address the long-standing affordability hurdles tied to the weekly injections dominating the weight loss drug market.—
Verb
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This came on the heels of another fleeting feel-good moment for the Rangers (20-18-6), who opened the new year by defeating the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers in Friday’s Winter Classic.—
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Zinke faced close races during his second House tenure however, winning his seat in the 2022 midterms by around three points before defeating the same opponent during the 2024 presidential election by more than seven points.—
Cite this Entry
“Subordinating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subordinating. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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