sovvertire

to subvert

verb sov-ver-TEE-reh Rare

Origin: From Latin subvertere (to turn upside down), from sub- + vertere (to turn).

Also means

to overthrow

Usage Note

Sovvertire takes the auxiliary avere and means to overturn or undermine an established order, system, or value: sovvertire l'ordine pubblico (to subvert public order). It is stronger and more political than rovesciare (to overturn physically). The stem changes to sovverti- in most conjugated forms.

Examples

"Il regime cercò di sovvertire l'ordine democratico."

Natural Translation

The regime tried to subvert the democratic order.

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