as in deduction
the act or an instance of taking away from a total
the restaurant may not have raised the price, but there's definitely been a subtraction in the number of fries in a side order
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subtraction
That subtraction used to have income restrictions and maxed out at $5,000 for individuals 65 and older and $10,000 for couples.
—
Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 6 Feb. 2026
And then, in a salary dump that could have been viewed as addition by subtraction, the Mets sent infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil to the Athletics for a minor league pitcher.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
However, the small subtraction made the shorter version feel even sleeker.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026
Recipients in some states qualify for a Social Security income subtraction when filing their state tax return.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 6 Feb. 2026
And then, in a salary dump that could have been viewed as addition by subtraction, the Mets sent infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil to the Athletics for a minor league pitcher.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
However, the small subtraction made the shorter version feel even sleeker.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026
Recipients in some states qualify for a Social Security income subtraction when filing their state tax return.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtraction
Noun
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This is the standard homestead exemption to qualify for the $140,000 deduction and optional homestead exemptions levied by local entities.—
Sasha Richie,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Yes, the standard deduction increases for all taxpayers, regardless of tax brackets.—
Kat Tretina,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In a bubble, too many properties on the market chasing too few buyers can touch off drastic price reductions, sending the overall market tumbling.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
22 Mar. 2026
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Neither Monroe nor Sterling Heights has independently evaluated whether the exemption has led to any measurable pollution reduction, nor has the state.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subtraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtraction. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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