as in submarines
a large sandwich on a long split roll
we shared a tuna sub at lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in substitutes
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
as in spells
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subs
Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The meal includes two medium subs, two bags of chips and two small drinks for $16, according to the Firehouse Subs website.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
China already has dozens of tourist subs.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
At the same time the Navy wants 60 smaller and less expensive Virginia class attack subs, at as much as $5 billion a ship, to replace its aging 688 or Los Angeles class fleet that EB designed and built, also beginning in the 1970s.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
As the 2026 tourney gets underway, the networks in the TNT Sports portfolio now reach a little under 60 million homes, and with an annual defection rate that’s been holding steady at 8%, CBS’ cable partners will likely land on the wrong side of 50 million subs by the end of 2027.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Think of it as the supercar of subs.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
Defense Unicorns has already received $44 million from the Navy to research and prove the tech for the nation’s newest ballistic missile subs, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2028.
—Brandon Lingle, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Mar. 2026
Dinner subs a five-ounce steak for the eggs.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
Still, though, the subs’ desk rocked with laughter.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The meal includes two medium subs, two bags of chips and two small drinks for $16, according to the Firehouse Subs website.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
China already has dozens of tourist subs.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
At the same time the Navy wants 60 smaller and less expensive Virginia class attack subs, at as much as $5 billion a ship, to replace its aging 688 or Los Angeles class fleet that EB designed and built, also beginning in the 1970s.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
As the 2026 tourney gets underway, the networks in the TNT Sports portfolio now reach a little under 60 million homes, and with an annual defection rate that’s been holding steady at 8%, CBS’ cable partners will likely land on the wrong side of 50 million subs by the end of 2027.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Think of it as the supercar of subs.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
Defense Unicorns has already received $44 million from the Navy to research and prove the tech for the nation’s newest ballistic missile subs, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2028.
—Brandon Lingle, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Mar. 2026
Dinner subs a five-ounce steak for the eggs.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subs
substitutes
Verb
-
Once that trio had run themselves into the ground, substitutes Moore, Josh Windass and Nathan Broadhead took over to keep the pressure on.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Young Man in a Hurry substitutes status anxiety for race.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subs. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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