topic

noun top·ic \ ˈtä-pik \

|Updated on: 19 Aug 2018

Examples: topic in a Sentence

Definition of topic

1 a : the subject of a discourse or of a section of a discourse

b : a heading in an outlined argument or exposition

2 a : argument, reason

b : one of the general forms of argument employed in probable reasoning

See topic defined for English-language learners

See topic defined for kids

Examples of topic in a Sentence

He is comfortable discussing a wide range of topics.
topics such as health and fitness

Recent Examples of topic from the Web

Generally parents avoid the topic of money with their kids.

— sonja haller, USA TODAY, "Gender pay inequality starts at home. Parents pay boys twice as much allowance as girls," 3 July 2018
Conversations about mental health are becoming more common, but there's still significant stigma attached to the topic.

— brooke bunce, Teen Vogue, "New York and Virginia to Require Mental Health Education," 3 July 2018
Reinhart is candid about her battles with anxiety and depression, devoting dozens of Instagram posts and Twitter threads to the topic.

— julie kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Lili Reinhart Is a Hollywood Ingenue with No Time for Haters," 2 July 2018
Sheridan is simply jabbing at the hot-button topics of the moment to spur his story along.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Sicario: Day of the Soldado," 2 July 2018
On Tuesday, the topic of guns was notably absent from the discussions.

— mandy mclaren, The Courier-Journal, "Gov. Matt Bevin blames school shootings on phones, psychotropic drugs," 26 June 2018
People are often sheepish when approaching the topic of suicide.

— shaun goodwin, kansascity, "She beat back bullies at age 12, and now she's a businesswoman at 15," 26 June 2018
According to officials, a key topic of the discussions later this week will be the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the role China can play, considering its longstanding friendship with North Korea.

— lolita c. baldor, Anchorage Daily News, "Mattis stops in Alaska on his way to Asia, seeks ‘conversation’ with Chinese," 25 June 2018
Which lands remain public and which do not have been the topics of vigorous debate over the last several decades.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Mining Company Buys Rights to Former National Monument Land," 21 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of topic

Latin Topica Topics (work by Aristotle), from Greek Topika, from topika, neuter plural of topikos of a place, of a topos, from topos place, topos

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1569

in the meaning defined at sense 2b

See Words from the same year

topic Synonyms

TOPIC Defined for English Language Learners

topic

noun

Definition of topic for English Language Learners

: someone or something that people talk or write about

TOPIC Defined for Kids

topic

noun top·ic \ ˈtä-pik \

Definition of topic for Students

: the subject of something that is being discussed or has been written or thought about She didn't like talking about it and tried to change the topic.