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
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 subtractions
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
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 proposal would eliminate tax breaks for corporations that own more than 50 single-family homes, barring them from taking deductions for depreciation and mortgage interest payments.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In addition, Alleviate Tax offers professional tax representation, including communicating with the IRS on your behalf, identifying applicable deductions and representing you during audits or other proceedings.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Not everyone experiences complete relief, though research shows most patients who get shockwave therapy experience significant reductions in pain with lasting effects and a low recurrence rate.—
Allison Aubrey,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2026
-
In four rounds of staffing reductions that include this year’s layoffs, eBay has cut 949 Bay Area jobs, EDD WARN notices show.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subtractions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtractions. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
