subtract

verb

sub·​tract səb-ˈtrakt 

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

Synonyms of subtract

• deduct

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 on the Web

Leaders must cultivate, not just control, by subtracting structures that produce unwanted results. — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

At public institutions, the average amount that a student pays now after all the discounts and everything is subtracted is only about $2,300 according to the college board. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 20 July 2026

The report then stripped out liabilities, which includes mortgage debt, of $5 trillion and subtracted the wealth of the top 1%, estimated at $28 trillion. — Robert Frank, CNBC, 17 July 2026

To calculate the sand depth, subtract your pavers’ thickness from 4-1/2 inches. — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for subtract

• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• enact
• exact
• extract
• hijacked
• impact

Kids Definition

subtract

verb

sub·​tract səb-ˈtrakt 

1

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

subtract 5 from 9

2

: to perform a subtraction