subsume

verb

sub·​sume səb-ˈsüm How to pronounce subsume (audio)
subsumed; subsuming

transitive verb

: to include or place within something larger or more comprehensive : encompass as a subordinate or component element
red, green, and yellow are subsumed under the term "color"
subsumable adjective

Examples of subsume in a Sentence

games and team sports are subsumed under the classification of “recreation”
Recent Examples on the Web Popular on Variety All of this works like a charm, but as the film goes on, it’s slowly subsumed by a larger tale in the background, unfolding in the form of oblique 1950s flashbacks and opaque references to decades-old blood feuds. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 May 2024 But those hopes dimmed as the protests fizzled out, subsumed by a wave of arrests and mass repression. Simon Shuster, TIME, 14 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for subsume 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subsume.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin subsumere, from Latin sub- + sumere to take up — more at consume

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subsume was in 1818

Dictionary Entries Near subsume

Cite this Entry

“Subsume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsume. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

subsume

verb
sub·​sume səb-ˈsüm How to pronounce subsume (audio)
subsumed; subsuming
: to include or place within something larger or more general
red and green are subsumed under the term "color"

More from Merriam-Webster on subsume

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