Synonyms of subtract

subtract

verb

səb-ˈtrakt 

as in to deduct

to take away (an amount or number) from a total

if you subtract 10 from 23, you get 13

you can subtract the time you spent daydreaming from your total homework time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deduct
• reduce
• discount
• decrease
• take off
• cut
• abate
• lower
• diminish
• slash
• lessen
• shorten
• truncate
• dwindle
• cut down
• curtail
• clip
• abridge
• knock off
• prune
• trim
• downsize
• cut back
• dock
• crop
• pare
• abbreviate
• knock down
• whittle
• retrench

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• add
• tack (on)
• append
• supplement
• complement
• enhance
• annex
• increase
• multiply
• intensify
• expand
• heighten
• magnify
• augment
• adjoin
• raise
• enlarge
• amplify
• boost
• escalate
• compound
• beef (up)
• aggrandize

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of subtract

For a number, subtract your age from 220 to estimate your max heart rate, then take 60% to 70% of that figure. —Allison Palmer june 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026

For Tomás, capturing recent history is a quantitative pursuit—subtract the post-famine population from the pre-famine population to unleash the death toll in all its horror. —Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Last quarter, gas subtracted two tenths of a point. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 31 May 2026

Be prepared to add and subtract clothing layers throughout the day. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026