1. to secretly weaken or destroy a government, political system, or institution
2. to undermine or corrupt someone’s morals, loyalty, or faith

Examples

• The rebels attempted to subvert the government through propaganda.
• Foreign agents tried to subvert the democratic process.
• The cult leader sought to subvert his followers’ critical thinking.
• Hackers worked to subvert the company’s security systems.
• The dictator feared that free speech would subvert his authority.
• They accused the organization of trying to subvert traditional values.