1. destroying someone's (or some group's) honesty or loyalty; undermining moral integrity - corruption of a minor - the big city's subversion of rural innocence • Syn: corruption • Derivationally related forms: subvert, corrupt (for: corruption) • Hypernyms: degradation, debasement 2. the act of subverting; as overthrowing or destroying a legally constituted government • Syn: subversive activity • Derivationally related forms: subvert • Hypernyms: overthrow