Standard Lemma guide

subversive

adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /səbˈvɝsɪv/
  • General-American: /sʌb-/
  • General-American: /-vɚsɪv/
  • General-American: [səbˈβɝsɪv]
  • General-American: [səb̪ˈvɝsɪv]
  • Received-Pronunciation: /səbˈvɜːsɪv/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)sɪv
  • CMU ARPABET: S AH0 B V ER1 S IH0 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Intending to subvert, overturn, undermine or debase.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • subversive influence
  • subversive message
  • subversive government
  • subversive society

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A radical supporter of political or social revolution.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

One who subverts, a saboteur, provocateur, or propagandist.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

in opposition to a civil authority or government

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: insurgent, seditious

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a radical supporter of political or social revolution

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: revolutionist, revolutionary, subverter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: radical

Narrower terms: counterrevolutionist, counter-revolutionist, counterrevolutionary, dynamiter, dynamitist, Girondist, Girondin, insurgent, insurrectionist, freedom fighter, rebel, Corday, Charlotte Corday, Marie Anne Charlotte Corday d'Armont, Danton, Georges Jacques Danton, Guevara, Ernesto Guevara, Che Guevara, Mao, Mao Zedong, Mao Tsetung, Marat, Jean Paul Marat, Marti, Jose Julian Marti, Marx, Karl Marx, Mirabeau, Comte de Mirabeau, Honore-Gabriel Victor Riqueti, Robespierre, Maxmillien Marie Isidore de Robespierre, Trotsky, Leon Trotsky, Lev Davidovich Bronstein, Villa, Pancho Villa, Francisco Villa, Doroteo Arango, Zapata, Emiliano Zapata, Zhou En-lai, Chou En-lai

History

Etymology

See subvert and -ive.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: подривен (podriven) — intending to subvert
  • Bulgarian: подмолен (podmolen) — intending to subvert
  • Catalan: subversiu — intending to subvert
  • Danish: undergravende — intending to subvert
  • Finnish: kumouksellinen — intending to subvert
  • French: subversif — intending to subvert
  • German: subversiv — intending to subvert
  • Greek: ανατρεπτικός (anatreptikós) — intending to subvert
  • Hungarian: felforgató — intending to subvert
  • Indonesian: subversif — intending to subvert
  • Māori: maninikē — intending to subvert
  • Polish: burzycielski — intending to subvert
  • Polish: przewrotowy — intending to subvert
  • Polish: wywrotowy — intending to subvert
  • Portuguese: subversivo — intending to subvert
  • Romanian: subversiv — intending to subvert
  • Russian: подрывно́й (podryvnój) — intending to subvert
  • Spanish: subversivo — intending to subvert
  • Swedish: omstörtande — intending to subvert
  • Swedish: subversiv — intending to subvert
  • Ukrainian: підривни́й (pidryvnýj) — intending to subvert
  • Finnish: kumouksellinen — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Finnish: vallankumouksellinen — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Greek: ανατροπέας (anatropéas) — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Polish: dywersant — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Polish: dywersantka — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Polish: przewrotowiec — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Polish: wywrotowiec — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Portuguese: subversivo — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Russian: революционер (revoljucioner) — a radical supporter of political or social revolution
  • Swedish: samhällsomstörtare — a radical supporter of political or social revolution