to subjugate
- To bring under control or domination, often by conquest or force; to make subservient or submissive. verbThe emperor sought to subjugate the neighboring kingdoms to expand his empire.Throughout history, many indigenous peoples have been subjugated by colonial powers.
- To make someone or something subordinate to another, often in a metaphorical sense. verbThe new policy aims to subjugate individual interests to the collective good.In the novel, the protagonist struggles against societal norms that seek to subjugate her personal desires.