subtract

verb sub·tract \ səb-ˈtrakt \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Examples: subtract in a Sentence

Definition of subtract

subtracted; subtracting; subtracts

transitive verb

: to take away by or as if by deducting

subtract 5 from 9

subtract funds from the project

intransitive verb

: to perform a subtraction

—

subtracter

noun

See subtract defined for English-language learners

See subtract defined for kids

Examples of subtract in a Sentence

if you subtract 10 from 23, you get 13
you can subtract the time you spent daydreaming from your total homework time

Recent Examples of subtract from the Web

Change in private inventories subtracted 0.01 percentage point.

— sharon nunn, WSJ, "U.S. Economy Was Weaker Last Quarter Than We Thought," 28 June 2018
To prevent a repeat, the show tightened its internal controls, changing brands more often and adding and subtracting options, especially on cars, all to make memorizing prices that much more difficult.

— richard a. marini, San Antonio Express-News, "How one San Antonio man’s obsession with ‘The Price is Right’ almost destroyed the show," 8 June 2018
The committee said the assessment alone should not be used as a factor to add or subtract prison time, but should help judges determine whether to seek more information before imposing a sentence.

— chris palmer, Philly.com, "Dozens of speakers at hearing assail Pa. plan to use algorithm in sentencing," 6 June 2018
How those teams fare in the Big Ten and Pac-12 tournaments will be important in adding or subtracting value from those victories for the Cardinals.

— danielle lerner, The Courier-Journal, "The NCAA Tournament is almost here. Is Louisville women's basketball still a No. 1 seed?," 20 Feb. 2018
If the Navy were to subtract one of its destroyers and add two frigates to its shipbuilding plan in its place (a less expensive option), resulting in four low-end combatants bought per year, the Navy could expand its fleet more quickly.

— jerry hendrix, National Review, "Achieving a 355-Ship Navy ‘Before This Decade Is Out’," 16 Feb. 2018
Armed with their private keys, the Vienna and Beijing teams could unscramble that combined key by essentially subtracting their own, and so learn the other’s secret key.

— davide castelvecchi, Scientific American, "The Quantum Internet Has Arrived (and It Hasn’t)," 16 Feb. 2018
Revisions to prior reports subtracted a total of 24,000 jobs to payrolls in the previous two months, as November's total was changed to 216,000 from 252,000, according to the report.

— bloomberg news, OregonLive.com, "U.S. hiring improves, wages climb at fastest rate since 2009," 2 Feb. 2018
Each key side subtracted a future Hall of Famer: no more Randy Moss running long for the Patriots, no more defensive end Michael Strahan chasing quarterbacks for the Giants.

— david j. neal, miamiherald, "Super Bowl history game-by-game, from Packers to Patriots | Miami Herald," 30 Jan. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of subtract

Latin subtractus, past participle of subtrahere to draw from beneath, withdraw, from sub- + trahere to draw

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1557

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

subtract Synonyms

SUBTRACT Defined for English Language Learners

subtract

verb

Definition of subtract for English Language Learners

: to take (a number or amount) from another number or amount

SUBTRACT Defined for Kids

subtract

verb sub·tract \ səb-ˈtrakt \

Definition of subtract for Students

subtracted; subtracting

: to take away (as one part or number from another) : deduct

Word Root of subtract

The Latin word tractus, meaning “pulled” or “dragged,” gives us the root tract. Words from the Latin tractus have to do with being pulled or dragged. To attract is to pull or draw towards you. To distract is to pull someone's attention away from something. To extract is to pull one thing out of another. To subtract is to pull a portion or number away from a group or from a whole.