as in topic
the information or ideas that are discussed or dealt with in a book, movie, etc.; what something is about
I found the film's subject matter to be quite disturbing. The magazine's editors care more about style than about subject matter. She disapproves of the artist's choice of subject matter.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of subject matter
Were there any other particularly difficult shooting days or scenes, given the serious subject matter?
—
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
There are MCs out there that care and who have the utmost desire to bring the best bars, the best lyrics, the best subject matter, the best energy to every song and to every moment.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 6 Sep. 2025
Despite the glossy subject matter, Winocour neatly sidesteps clichés, instead searching for quiet moments that give the story emotional resonance.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2025
Aware of the raw, incendiary power of her subject matter, Ben Hania doesn’t sensationalize this story, keeping the action fixed entirely in the call center itself, with actors portraying the dispatchers on the line.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subject matter
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
There are MCs out there that care and who have the utmost desire to bring the best bars, the best lyrics, the best subject matter, the best energy to every song and to every moment.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 6 Sep. 2025
Despite the glossy subject matter, Winocour neatly sidesteps clichés, instead searching for quiet moments that give the story emotional resonance.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2025
Aware of the raw, incendiary power of her subject matter, Ben Hania doesn’t sensationalize this story, keeping the action fixed entirely in the call center itself, with actors portraying the dispatchers on the line.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subject matter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subject matter
Noun
-
These two energies seduced me to find womxn who, through their artistic work, were open to rebellious acts such as publishing art books on essential topics.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The content drew attention to the country’s inequality by contrasting the lives of the children of the country’s elite – with designer clothing and foreign vacations – with images of Nepali migrant workers returning home in coffins from dangerous jobs abroad.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
-
But, at a time when loneliness among young people is at an all-time high, the popularity of chatbots may leave young people uniquely exposed to manipulation, harmful content, and hyper-personalized conversations that reinforce dangerous thoughts.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The soap's sensual marketing theme earned mixed reactions on social media, with some users dubbing it a gimmick and questioning the item's cleanliness.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The dialogue will explore her career milestones and the philosophies that have shaped her artistry, including the practice of detachment, a theme both Jones and Akil connect to through lessons learned from Oprah Winfrey.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Researchers distributed email surveys to 80,000 licensed hunters and another 80,000 landowners in the subject states, and over 1,200 active conservation officers were also surveyed in an effort to get a comprehensive view of attitudes about and estimations of the prevalence of poaching.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The two winners and two runners-up in the categories of fiction and nonfiction this year divide their subjects across genre lines, though this is typically not the case.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
From menswear motifs like herringbone and plaid to double-breasted shapes inspired by uniform dressing, our favorite jackets include all the essentials—plus some with a little more of a fashion-forward edge—to style with your go-to T-shirts and fall boots.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Glamour,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Color, texture and small details like patterns and sartorial motifs clue the audience further into a character’s interiority.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Whatever turns out to be the motive of Kirk’s assassin, the websites Bluesky and Reddit were teeming with left-wing celebrations of his death.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Law enforcement had yet to identify the shooter or disclose a motive and acknowledged at a news conference Thursday that the suspect’s college-age appearance may have helped the person blend in on the college campus where Kirk was shot.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In a 2004 study, the United States Institute of Peace said that hundreds of terrorist groups had migrated online, utilizing a tool meant for better communication for often nefarious purposes.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These matters concerning candidate quality are nothing new.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The executives were able to meet with Pope Leo in a private audience that included others, according to a person familiar with the matter.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subject matter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subject%20matter. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share