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

So the balance of payments is subtracting savings from other countries and making their bond yields go up as well. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

The point of Stop-Drop-Roll isn't to subtract for its own sake. — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Net income is what’s leftover after all of that is subtracted out. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Gross margin is the percentage of revenue left after a company subtracts its direct costs, so the higher the margin the better for the company. — John Magsam, Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 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