• (RP) IPA: /səbˈvɜːt/
• (America) enPR: səbvûrtʹ, IPA: /səbˈvɝt/

subvert (subverts, present participle subverting; past and past participle subverted)

1. (transitive) To overturn from the foundation; to overthrow; to ruin utterly.
   • 1591, William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene iii]:

     He […] razeth your cities, and subverts your towns.

   • 1689 (indicated as 1690)​, [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Thomas Basset, […], OCLC 153628242 ↗:

     , ''Book IV, Chapter XVIII´´

     This would be to subvert the principles and foundations of all knowledge.

2. (transitive) To pervert, as the mind, and turn it from the truth; to corrupt; to confound.

   A dictator stays in power only as long as he manages to subvert the will of his people.

3. (transitive) To upturn convention from the foundation by undermining it (literally, to turn from beneath).

• French: renverser
• German: stürzen, umstoßen
• Portuguese: subverter
• Russian: сверга́ть
• Spanish: contrariar

• German: korrumpieren, zerrütten
• Italian: corrompere
• Portuguese: subverter
• Russian: развраща́ть
• Spanish: subvertir

• German: untergraben, unterlaufen
• Portuguese: subverter
• Russian: подрыва́ть
• Spanish: subvertir

• (RP) IPA: /ˈsʌbvɜːt/
• (America) enPR: sŭbʹvûrt, IPA: /ˈsʌbvɝt/

subvert (plural subverts)

1. An advertisement created by subvertising.

• subvertisement