subtext

noun

sub·​text ˈsəb-ˌtekst 

: the implicit or metaphorical meaning (as of a literary text)

subtextual

ˌsəb-ˈteks-chə-wəl 

-chəl

adjective

subtextually adverb

Did you know?

A literary text often has more than one meaning: the literal meaning of the words on the page, and their hidden meaning, what exists "between the lines"—the subtext. Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, for example, is about the Salem witchcraft trials of the 17th century, but its subtext is the comparison of those trials with the "witch hunts" of the 1950s, when many people were unfairly accused of being communists. Even a social conversation between a man and a woman may have a subtext, but you may have to listen very closely to figure out what it is. Don't confuse subtext with subplot, a less important plot that moves along in parallel with the main plot.

Examples of subtext in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The substance of the blowout at the bottom of Jessi’s stairs is all in the subtext. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Even when the subtext of previous policy suggested suspicion of American Muslims, federal leaders never expressed explicit hostility. — Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2026

Ambiguity, subtext, double meanings, and metaphor course through all of them. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Inside the Teatro la Fenice, gilded Rococo interiors and lavish gold decor framed the film with glittering allure, adding a dramatic subtext to its rags-to-riches storyline. — Caitlin White, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subtext

• complexed
• deflexed
• perplexed
• plaintext
• pretext
• reflexed
• ciphertext
• hypertext
• multiplexed
• teletext
• flexed
• next