subjective

adjective sub·jec·tive \ (ˌ)səb-ˈjek-tiv \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of subjective

1 : of, relating to, or constituting a subject: such as

a obsolete : of, relating to, or characteristic of one that is a subject especially in lack of freedom of action or in submissiveness

b : being or relating to a grammatical subject; especially : nominative

2 : of or relating to the essential being of that which has substance, qualities, attributes, or relations

3 a : characteristic of or belonging to reality as perceived rather than as independent of mind : phenomenal — compare objective 1b

b : relating to or being experience or knowledge as conditioned by personal mental characteristics or states

4 a (1) : peculiar to a particular individual : personal

subjective judgments

(2) : modified or affected by personal views, experience, or background

a subjective account of the incident

b : arising from conditions within the brain or sense organs and not directly caused by external stimuli

subjective sensations

c : arising out of or identified by means of one's perception of one's own states and processes

a subjective symptom of disease

— compare objective 1c

5 : lacking in reality or substance : illusory

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subjectively

adverb

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subjectiveness

noun

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subjectivity

play \(ˌ)səb-ˌjek-ˈti-və-tē\ noun

See subjective defined for English-language learners

See subjective defined for kids

Examples of subjective in a Sentence

Art is never a commodity. Commodities are identical units of sure value—bushels of wheat, say—whose price fluctuates from time to time and place to place. Art works are one-of-a-kind … items, materially worthless, which have in common that a price is asked for them. Their value is entirely subjective. —Peter Schjedlahl, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2009
Our perception of loudness is subjective, but sound has an intensity, independent of our hearing, that is measured in decibels (dB). —Jennifer Barone, Discover, July/August 2009
Science is the study of facts—things that are measurable, testable, repeatable, verifiable. I won't bore you with the inevitable discussion of objective reality and how it's ultimately unknowable because we filter it through our individual subjective realities, I'll cut directly to the chase. Science is about the stuff we can agree on. Rocks are hard, water is wet. —David Gerrold, Fantasy & Science Fiction, September 2005
Besides, I am not doing this for the anthropology. My aim is nothing so mistily subjective as to "experience poverty" or find out how it "really feels" to be a long-term low-wage worker. —Barbara Ehrenreich, Harper's, January 1999
Dreaming is a subjective experience.
a person's subjective perception of the world
Personal taste in clothing is very subjective.
In reviewing applicants, we consider both objective criteria, such as test scores, and subjective criteria, such as leadership ability.
Law can be maddeningly subjective. So much is left up to your own interpretation.

Recent Examples of subjective from the Web

The severity of the hard feelings engendered after Love left the OKC game early and missed practice the next day is subjective.

— bud shaw, cleveland.com, "Kevin Love is the key to the Cavs surviving the East -- Bud Shaw's Spin," 12 Apr. 2018
But loneliness, both the subjective feeling and the objective reality, never seems that simple to solve.

— paul miller, The Verge, "Facebook quitting advice from a professional internet quitter," 12 Apr. 2018
The total sum of money invested in ESG funds is difficult to quantify because the universe of companies that meet such criteria is somewhat subjective.

— sarah krouse, WSJ, "BlackRock Plans to Block Walmart, Dick’s From Some Funds Over Guns," 5 Apr. 2018
Still, determining medical necessity can be subjective.

— alexia elejalde-ruiz, chicagotribune.com, "10 years after federal law to protect insurance coverage of mental illness, advocates question if it's working," 5 Apr. 2018
Deciding which ones should be saved is highly subjective.

— inga saffron, Philly.com, "Philadelphia's preservation reform effort has lost its way | Inga Saffron," 29 Mar. 2018
The Asia Internet Coalition, which counts Google and Facebook Inc. among its members, cautioned that discerning whether information is true can be subjective, and the law risks compromising access to information and the exchange of ideas.

— anisah shukry, Bloomberg.com, "Malaysia Seeks Prison Term to Fight Fake News Ahead of Election," 26 Mar. 2018
Perception, then, was not passive and objective but active and subjective.

— naomi fry, The New Yorker, "The Mind-Expanding Ideas of Andy Clark," 26 Mar. 2018
But flavor preferences are subjective; the real advantages of frozen bud are economical.

— robbie gonzalez, WIRED, "Shatter, Batter, Wax: How Cannabis Extracts Come to Be," 22 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subjective.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of subjective

see ¹subject

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

subjective Synonyms

subjective

noun sub·jec·tive \ (ˌ)səb-ˈjek-tiv \

Definition of subjective

: something that is subjective; also : nominative

Origin and Etymology of subjective

see ¹subject

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1817

See Words from the same year

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

SUBJECTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

subjective

adjective

Definition of subjective for English Language Learners

philosophy : relating to the way a person experiences things in his or her own mind
: based on feelings or opinions rather than facts
grammar : relating to nouns, noun phrases, or pronouns that are the subjects of verbs

SUBJECTIVE Defined for Kids

subjective

adjective sub·jec·tive \ səb-ˈjek-tiv \

Definition of subjective for Students

: based mainly on opinions or feelings rather than on facts

a subjective report

Medical Dictionary

subjective

adjective sub·jec·tive \ (ˌ)səb-ˈjek-tiv \

medical Definition of subjective

1 a : relating to or determined by the mind as the subject of experience

subjective reality

b : characteristic of or belonging to reality as perceived rather than as independent of mind

c : relating to or being experience or knowledge as conditioned by personal mental characteristics or states

2 a : arising from conditions within the brain or sense organs and not directly caused by external stimuli

subjective sensations

b : arising out of or identified by means of one's perception of one's own states and processes and not observable by an examiner

a subjective symptom of disease

caused objective or subjective clinical improvement or both
—Journal of the American Medical Association

— compare objective 2

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subjectively

adverb

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Definition of subjective

subjectively

subjectiveness

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Examples of subjective in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of subjective

subjective Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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subjective

Definition of subjective

Origin and Etymology of subjective

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SUBJECTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

subjective

Definition of subjective for English Language Learners

SUBJECTIVE Defined for Kids

subjective

Definition of subjective for Students

Medical Dictionary

subjective

medical Definition of subjective

subjectively

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