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

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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

Though Galicia did not invoke race, the subtext along Central Avenue is never too far from the surface. —David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024

Before digging into the emotional subtext of this scene, there's the objective challenge of writing a song that will allow an actor to strain for a note in a way that will play realistically. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2024

In fact, the subtext of much of its growth narrative was the anxious management of this modish-to-monied ratio. —Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024

The story is still being written, but the subtext here is classic. —Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2024

Every bit of dialogue is packed with subtext, as mutual wariness and hopes and old wounds hamper the characters’ ability to communicate with each other. —Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024

In today’s political climate, some pose similar questions, with equally intimidating subtext. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024

Fans might ship their favorite characters based on small interactions or subtext, regardless of the media's canon, or true events. —Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024

So, sometimes a scene can take on a completely different life because there’s so much subtext beneath the surface. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above