Make Your Point: SUBVERT

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pronounce SUBVERT:

sub VURT

connect this word to others:

As we check out the subtle, sneaky, exciting word subvert, which literally means "to turn from underneath," see if you can recall some other words that also derive from the Latin vertere, "to turn:"

1. When you're _ver_e to something, you're against it, opposed to it, or disgusted by it, as if it makes you want to turn away.

2. Something __ver_e gets in the way of your success, happiness, or health, as if it's turned against you.

3. To _ver_ some bad event is to stop it from happening, as if you're turning the event away.

To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.

definition:

"Subvert" traces back to the Latin word subvertere, which meant "to turn upside-down, or to overturn," or more literally, "to turn from underneath."

In one of its oldest senses in English, to subvert an opponent or a government is to defeat them or overthrow them.

But most of the time these days, to subvert governments, systems, or other authorities to is to weaken, disrupt, or change them, usually in a clever or sneaky way.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Verb, the transitive kind: "Their goal is to subvert the patriarchy;" "The film subverts our expectations."

Other forms:

The other verb tenses are "subverted" and "subverting."

The adjective is "subversive," as in "Their actions were subversive" and "Hozier has written some delightfully subversive songs."

The act of subverting is "subversion," and it's both the countable kind ("They're known for their subversions") and the uncountable kind ("They're known for their acts of subversion").

how to use it:

Pick the formal, common word "subvert" when you want to point out how someone is fighting against some powerful system on the sly.

Talk about people subverting (or trying to subvert) a rule, a law, a norm, a stereotype, a government, someone's authority, someone's will, or some huge establishment, such as corporate America, the fast fashion industry, or the health insurance system.

In a looser sense, you can talk about people and their creations (such as essays, stories, songs, and films) that subvert people's assumptions or expectations.

examples:

"I know my own reasons for keeping Peeta alive. He’s my friend, and this is my way to defy the Capitol, to subvert its terrible Games."
— Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire, 2009

"A life ambition was front of mind for the 18-year-old [Nima Rinji Sherpa]: to subvert the stereotype of Sherpas as mere helpers who assist foreign climbers on their ascents."
— Phanindra Dahal and Gavin Butler, BBC, 9 October 2024

has this page helped you understand "subvert"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

study it:

Explain the meaning of "subvert" without saying "bring down" or "undermine."

try it out:

I love this one scene in Firefly when Zoe subverts a trope. The bad guy, Niska, has abducted both Zoe's husband and their ship's captain. Zoe enters Niska's lair to retrieve them, handing Niska a bag of money.

Zoe: "Should be more than enough to buy back my men."

Niska: "...I think this is not enough. Not enough for two. But sufficient, perhaps for one... Ah... you now have—"

Zoe: "Him."

She points to her husband. Niska's mouth drops open.

Zoe: "You were going to ask me to choose, right? Did you want to finish?"

Ha! Niska, and probably us, the audience, expected Zoe to hem and haw about which man to save, but she subverted that trope, along with our expectations.

With this scene in mind as an example, talk about another time that a character, a show, a movie, a book, or some other creation subverted your expectations or subverted a trope.

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "Alliterate a Little; It'll Lift It."

I'll give you a phrase that doesn't alliterate, and you'll make it alliterate by changing one or both words—while preserving, as best you can, the meaning of the original.

For example: A car that demands too much fuel is a "gas guzzler." But what alliterative term could you invent for a dishwasher that demands too much detergent?

You could call it a "soap slurper," or a "detergent devourer."

Try this one today...

It's hip to be a "frequent flier." But what alliterative term could you invent for a "casual lurker"?

To see one possible answer, scroll all the way down.

review this word:

1. Opposites of SUBVERT include

A. SUBDUE and TAME.
B. SUPPLANT and IMPROVE.
C. SUPPORT and PERPETUATE.

2. If I _____, I subvert my well-being.

A. ignore my hunger cues
B. stay home from work when I'm sick
C. swap hilarious memes in the family chat

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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