suborn

[ suh-bawrn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime

   The drug cartel suborned the local police department to turn a blind eye to their trafficking.

2. Law.
   1. to induce (a person, especially a witness) to give false testimony.
   2. to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.

suborn

/ ˌsʌbɔːˈneɪʃən; səˈbɔːn; sʌˈbɔːnətɪv /

verb

1. to bribe, incite, or instigate (a person) to commit a wrongful act
2. criminal law to induce (a witness) to commit perjury

Derived Forms

• subˈorner, noun
• subornation, noun
• subornative, adjective

Other Words From

• sub·or·na·tion [suhb-awr-, ney, -sh, uh, n], noun
• sub·or·na·tive [s, uh, -, bawr, -n, uh, -tiv], adjective
• sub·orner noun
• unsub·orned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of suborn¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin subornāre “to instigate secretly, prepare clandestinely,” originally, “to supply,” equivalent to sub-, preposition and prefix + ornāre “to equip,” from an assumed ordnāre, a derivative of the noun ordō (stem ordin- ) “line, row, rank, grade”; sub-, order

Word History and Origins

Origin of suborn¹

C16: from Latin subornāre, from sub- secretly + ornāre to furnish

Example Sentences

Heritage, however, points to Article II, which begins: “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows…” What “follows” is a lengthy description of the very electoral process that Trump and company tried so hard to suborn on January 6, 2021.

From Salon

A group of attorneys grew so besotted with Trump and Trumpism that they were willing to work against the law—to break the law—in order to produce false documents, make unsubstantiated public claims, file meritless litigation, and suborn perjury, all in a desperate bid to keep Trump in power.

From Slate

"It feels like going back into a type of slavery and control, where other people get to decide they will suborn me," she said.

From BBC

The fact that so many, including Barr, Bowers and Raffensperger, continue to support Trump even though they understand full well that he inspired an insurrection and tried to suborn them into subverting the election, shows the depths to which the Republican Party has fallen.

From Salon

Rosenzweig said that the goal was not to punish people for representing clients, regardless of how many people may disagree with their views, but rather that it was “about whether a lawyer” could “suborn criminal conduct.”

From Seattle Times