Synonyms of sub

sub 1 of 3

noun (1)

as in submarine

a large sandwich on a long split roll

we shared a tuna sub at lunch

Synonyms & Similar Words

• submarine
• hero
• torpedo
• hoagie
• poor boy
• grinder
• hoagy
• Italian sandwich
• po'boy
• Cuban sandwich

sub

2 of 3

noun (2)

ˈsəb 

as in substitute

a person or thing that takes the place of another

we had a sub in English today, so we didn't get our test results back

Synonyms & Similar Words

• substitute
• replacement
• backup
• surrogate
• assistant
• stand-in
• cover
• reserve
• relief
• proxy
• pinch hitter
• designated hitter
• fill-in
• locum tenens
• alternate
• deputy
• second
• delegate
• factor
• agent
• makeshift
• rep
• representative
• commissary
• apology
• attorney
• assignee
• successor
• stopgap
• procurator
• envoy
• understudy
• reliever
• superseder

sub

3 of 3

verb

as in to substitute

to serve as a replacement usually for a time only

the weekend anchor is subbing for the station's main anchor all this week

she subbed for middle school teachers in the district as needed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• substitute
• spell
• cover
• stand in
• take over
• fill in
• step in
• pinch-hit
• double (as)
• relieve
• understudy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sub

Noun

What surfaces time and again in the documentary, though, is that carbon fiber was never the right material for a deep-ocean sub. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 11 June 2025

Tommy Docherty, the manager, had to come on as a sub in one of the games — and he got sent off. —Andy Mitten, New York Times, 30 May 2025

Verb

With 4:25 remaining in the third quarter and the Thunder down by 38, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault conceded and subbed out his star man – much to the delight of the home crowd, which had booed him incessantly throughout. —Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 25 May 2025

Unlike in baseball, bowlers can sub back in, but only for four overs. —Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 11 June 2025