as in deducting
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 subtracting
Gross profit is revenue without subtracting the cost of production expenses.
—
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
What did help ease respondent's minds, based on the survey results, was having a higher net worth, found by subtracting a household's liabilities from its assets.
—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
This measures the degree by which tuition, donations and investment revenue cover a college’s educational expenses by subtracting its core expenses from its core revenues and dividing the difference by its core revenues.
—
Matt Schifrin,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
That metric compares grads' total earnings over a period of time with those of workers without bachelor's degrees, while also subtracting educational expenses such as tuition, room and board and income lost while attending college.
—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
15 May 2026
Decarbonization is a six-syllable mouthful about subtracting something invisible from our lives.
—
John Reid,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised data, adding an additional 34,000 jobs to January, showing a growth of 160,000, but subtracting 41,000 from February, showing a loss of 133,000.
—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
The Phillies will add three to their 40-man roster — Crawford, Moore and Mayza — while subtracting McCambley and Stubbs.
—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
22 Mar. 2026
Willis represents a first move of building, not subtracting.
—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
What did help ease respondent's minds, based on the survey results, was having a higher net worth, found by subtracting a household's liabilities from its assets.
—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
This measures the degree by which tuition, donations and investment revenue cover a college’s educational expenses by subtracting its core expenses from its core revenues and dividing the difference by its core revenues.
—
Matt Schifrin,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
That metric compares grads' total earnings over a period of time with those of workers without bachelor's degrees, while also subtracting educational expenses such as tuition, room and board and income lost while attending college.
—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
15 May 2026
Decarbonization is a six-syllable mouthful about subtracting something invisible from our lives.
—
John Reid,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised data, adding an additional 34,000 jobs to January, showing a growth of 160,000, but subtracting 41,000 from February, showing a loss of 133,000.
—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
The Phillies will add three to their 40-man roster — Crawford, Moore and Mayza — while subtracting McCambley and Stubbs.
—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
22 Mar. 2026
Willis represents a first move of building, not subtracting.
—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtracting
deducting
Verb
-
After deducting their settlement fee and other charges, the net savings typically range from 20% to 25% of the original balance.
-
Beginning in 2026, the rules surrounding deducting losses become even more penalizing.
Cite this Entry
“Subtracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtracting. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
