WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sub•orn /səˈbɔrn/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Lawto lead or convince (someone) to commit a crime.
- Lawto lead or convince (a person, esp. a witness) to give false testimony.
sub•orn
(sə bôrn′),USA pronunciation v.t.
sub•or•na•tion
(sub′ôr nā′shən),USA pronunciation n.
sub•or•na•tive
(sə bôr′nə tiv),USA pronunciation adj.
sub•orn′er, n.
- Lawto bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime.
- Law
- to induce (a person, esp. a witness) to give false testimony.
- to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.
- Latin subornāre to instigate secretly, origin, originally, to supply, equivalent. to sub- sub- + ornāre to equip; see adorn
- 1525–35;
'subornation' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):