Thesaurus

subject

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of subject

1 a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition)

The subject of our discussion switched from who would be the next president to who was the greatest president in the nation's history.

Synonyms of subject

content, matter, motif, motive, question, theme, topic

Words Related to subject

count, idea, point, purpose

consideration, issue, problem

body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, pivot, purport, quick, staple, substance, sum

Near Antonyms of subject

aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent

2 a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it

My dad was born in England and is still a British subject.

Synonyms of subject

citizen, freeman, national

Words Related to subject

compatriot, countryman

inhabitant, native, nonimmigrant, resident

Near Antonyms of subject

foreigner, stranger

immigrant, nonnative

Antonyms of subject

alien, noncitizen

3 something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing

He has no subject to protest this time, but that's never stopped him before.

Synonyms of subject

account, authority, grounds, motive, reason, wherefore, why

Words Related to subject

antecedent, cause, consideration, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, occasion, stimulus

Synonym Discussion of subject

citizen, subject, national mean a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state. citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

- the rights of a free citizen

subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

- the king's subjects

national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

- American nationals working in the Middle East

subject

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of subject

to bring under one's control by force of arms

Attila the Hun subjected most of Europe to his barbaric pillage.

Synonyms of subject

conquer, dominate, overpower, pacify, subdue, subjugate, subordinate, vanquish

Words Related to subject

annihilate, beat, clobber, crush, defeat, drub, lick, mow (down), overcome, prevail (over), reduce, rout, skunk, smash, thrash, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip

break, clamp down (on), crack down (on), put down, quash, quell, repress, silence, smother, snuff (out), squash, squelch, suppress

Near Antonyms of subject

discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, manumit, release, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter

Learn More about subject

See words that rhyme with subject Dictionary: Definition of subject Medical Dictionary: Definition of subject Spanish Central: Translation of subject Nglish: Translation of subject for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of subject for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up subject? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

quail

play

to recoil in dread or terror

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games