Suborn
verb
To secretly convince someone to do something illegal or wrong.
The lawyer was accused of trying to suborn a witness in the high-profile case.
Often appears as...
- suborn perjury
- suborn evidence
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
verb
To use underhanded means to achieve something.
They were accused of attempting to suborn the democratic election process.
Often appears as...
- suborn process
- suborn power
verb
To secretly convince someone to do something illegal or wrong.
The lawyer was accused of trying to suborn a witness in the high-profile case.
Often appears as...
- suborn perjury
- suborn evidence
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
verb
To use underhanded means to achieve something.
They were accused of attempting to suborn the democratic election process.
Often appears as...
- suborn process
- suborn power
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Wrongdoing
Suborn often relates to serious breaches of law like perjury or bribing.
The CEO was jailed for suborning his accountant to falsify the financial reports.
Pro Tip 2/3Secrecy Implied
'Suborn' implies secretive actions, making them harder to detect and prove.
The operation was compromised when an agent was suborned to leak confidential information.
Pro Tip 3/3Moral Dilemma
Using 'suborn' hints at a moral struggle for the person being convinced to do wrong.
He was suborned into lying, despite his conscience protesting.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Wrongdoing
Suborn often relates to serious breaches of law like perjury or bribing.
The CEO was jailed for suborning his accountant to falsify the financial reports.
Pro Tip 2/3Secrecy Implied
'Suborn' implies secretive actions, making them harder to detect and prove.
The operation was compromised when an agent was suborned to leak confidential information.
Pro Tip 3/3Moral Dilemma
Using 'suborn' hints at a moral struggle for the person being convinced to do wrong.
He was suborned into lying, despite his conscience protesting.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Wrongdoing
Suborn often relates to serious breaches of law like perjury or bribing.
The CEO was jailed for suborning his accountant to falsify the financial reports.
Pro Tip 2/3Secrecy Implied
'Suborn' implies secretive actions, making them harder to detect and prove.
The operation was compromised when an agent was suborned to leak confidential information.
Pro Tip 3/3Moral Dilemma
Using 'suborn' hints at a moral struggle for the person being convinced to do wrong.
He was suborned into lying, despite his conscience protesting.
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Video examples
How to rob a bank (from...
not if, when. Second thing we need to do is completely reform modern executive and professional compensation, which is what they use to suborn the appraisers. Remember, they were pressuring the appraisers through the compensation system, trying to produce what we call a Gresham's dynamic,
Video examples
How to rob a bank (from...
not if, when. Second thing we need to do is completely reform modern executive and professional compensation, which is what they use to suborn the appraisers. Remember, they were pressuring the appraisers through the compensation system, trying to produce what we call a Gresham's dynamic,
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Edward Snowden
American Activist
What does that mean for a society, for a democracy, when the people that you elect on the basis of promises can basically suborn the will of the electorate?
Quote examples
Edward Snowden
American Activist
What does that mean for a society, for a democracy, when the people that you elect on the basis of promises can basically suborn the will of the electorate?
Example 1 of 1
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