as in deduction
the act or an instance of taking away from a total
the restaurant may not have raised the price, but there's definitely been a subtraction in the number of fries in a side order
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Recent Examples of subtraction
As Heritage Board Chairman Barb Gaby and President Kevin Roberts wrote in their note to staff, alumni, and the many friends gained over the past 52 years:
Ed believed in addition, not subtraction.
—
Bridget Weisenburger, National Review, 25 July 2025
To a Washington bean counter, his loss might have looked like one tiny but welcome subtraction in a giant spreadsheet, but not in a region so prone to these perilous events that it’s known as Flash Flood Alley.
—Zeynep Tufekci, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
Here's a look at all the additions to (and one subtraction from) the Greater Cincinnati concert calendar this week.
—Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Overall, the trade, which is essentially a two-for-one player swap and a one-for-one draft pick swap, gives the Dolphins addition by subtraction.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Bridget Weisenburger, National Review, 25 July 2025
To a Washington bean counter, his loss might have looked like one tiny but welcome subtraction in a giant spreadsheet, but not in a region so prone to these perilous events that it’s known as Flash Flood Alley.
—Zeynep Tufekci, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
Here's a look at all the additions to (and one subtraction from) the Greater Cincinnati concert calendar this week.
—Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Overall, the trade, which is essentially a two-for-one player swap and a one-for-one draft pick swap, gives the Dolphins addition by subtraction.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtraction
Noun
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So the taxpayers in CFM lost their deduction, but what about penalties?—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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Part of that is due to the increase in the standard deduction for those age 65 and older from 2025 through 2028.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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After Connecticut increased its enforcement of its red flag law, research found it was associated with a 14% reduction in the state’s firearm suicide rate.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
15 Aug. 2025
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Companies that operationalize these practices report 30–40% reductions in rework—savings that directly impact margins and competitiveness.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subtraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtraction. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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