as in deductions
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 subtractions
The Tribune is tracking the major roster additions, subtractions and announcements of local teams.
—
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
It’s now owned by Bacardi, and the lineup has seen some additions and subtractions over the past few years.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2026
Those three subtractions from the Texas roster happened over the first three days of the portal's 15-day window.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
And at 27-22, the Warriors were already in need of additions, not subtractions, for a real chance at a deep playoff run.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 29 Jan. 2026
The factors considered when assigning the grade for future outlook were potential new voices/subtractions in the front office and coaching staff, cap space to work with this offseason and draft picks available in 2026 and 2027.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Everything has fallen into place this offseason as the Nuggets prepare to hold their media day on Monday, starting with the subtractions.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Now, last minute additions (and subtractions), especially with really large yachts like MAR are pretty common at this stage before the show.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies lost a second straight game to the New York Mets on Tuesday and that was preceded by some surprising roster subtractions.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
It’s now owned by Bacardi, and the lineup has seen some additions and subtractions over the past few years.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2026
Those three subtractions from the Texas roster happened over the first three days of the portal's 15-day window.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
And at 27-22, the Warriors were already in need of additions, not subtractions, for a real chance at a deep playoff run.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 29 Jan. 2026
The factors considered when assigning the grade for future outlook were potential new voices/subtractions in the front office and coaching staff, cap space to work with this offseason and draft picks available in 2026 and 2027.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Everything has fallen into place this offseason as the Nuggets prepare to hold their media day on Monday, starting with the subtractions.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Now, last minute additions (and subtractions), especially with really large yachts like MAR are pretty common at this stage before the show.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies lost a second straight game to the New York Mets on Tuesday and that was preceded by some surprising roster subtractions.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtractions
Noun
-
The foundation also wants to adjust that trigger amount annually for inflation and allow deductions of certain revenues, all to reflect the escalating costs of staging a world-class marathon, spokeswoman Meg Treat said.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Specifically, the cap for deductions for state and local taxes (SALT) increased to $40,000 for 2025 from $10,000 the year before.—
Elliot Raphaelson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Further reductions in homelessness will help balance our budget.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
While many observers expect layoffs to help the company reach that target, executives have maintained that back-office efficiencies and the deployment of technology, rather than headcount reductions, will be the drivers.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subtractions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtractions. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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