To subvert means to undermine or overthrow something established, usually in a sneaky or indirect way. When you subvert authority, you work against it from within or underneath, weakening its power without directly confronting it.

A student who subverts classroom rules might find clever ways around them without technically breaking them, like passing notes in a code the teacher can't read. In stories, rebels often try to subvert an unjust government by secretly spreading ideas that challenge its control, or by quietly helping people the government oppresses.

The word often carries a sense of cleverness and stealth. You don't subvert something by marching up and smashing it. You subvert it by slowly weakening its foundation, changing how people think about it, or finding its hidden vulnerabilities. A comedy might subvert your expectations by setting up what seems like a sad ending, then surprising you with something funny instead.

Subversive describes something that tends to undermine established systems or beliefs. A subversive book might question ideas most people accept without thinking. While subversion can target genuinely bad systems, it can also describe any attempt to weaken something from within, whether for good reasons or bad.