SUBJECT Synonyms: 169 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'subject' distinct from other similar nouns?

The words citizen and national are common synonyms of subject . While all three words mean "a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state," subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch. // the king's subjects

Q: When would 'citizen' be a good substitute for 'subject'?

In some situations, the words citizen and subject are roughly equivalent. However, citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people. // the rights of a free citizen

Q: When is 'national' a more appropriate choice than 'subject'?

The synonyms national and subject are sometimes interchangeable, but national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state. // American nationals working in the Middle East

subject 1 of 3

noun

ˈsəb-jikt

Definition of subject next

as in topic

a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition) the subject of our discussion switched from who would be the next president to who was the greatest president in the nation's history

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in citizen

a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it because of the tense situation in that country, British subjects were advised to return home as soon as possible

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as in reason

something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing he has no subject to protest this time, but that's never stopped him before

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subject

2 of 3

verb

səb-ˈjekt

as in to dominate

to bring under one's control by force of arms Attila the Hun subjected most of Europe to his barbaric pillage

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subject

3 of 3

adjective

as in dependent

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word subject distinct from other similar nouns?

The words citizen and national are common synonyms of subject. While all three words mean "a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state," subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

the king's subjects

When would citizen be a good substitute for subject?

In some situations, the words citizen and subject are roughly equivalent. However, citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

the rights of a free citizen

When is national a more appropriate choice than subject?

The synonyms national and subject are sometimes interchangeable, but national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

American nationals working in the Middle East

Examples 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 subject

Noun

Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter While the brothers have been the subject of various other documentaries and true crime deep dives, Chavez previously told EW that landing the part of Lyle was his introduction to the Menéndez Brothers story. —

Shania Russell, EW.com, 5 Nov. 2024 The state assembly member, who is currently a Democratic candidate for New York City Council, was the subject of a Saturday Night Live sketch this weekend. —

Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 3 Nov. 2024

Verb

These people are concerned about losing their jobs, tarnishing their reputations and the threat of violence that might come from Ito subjecting herself to an unsparing public. —

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2024 Authorities subsequently discovered that their parents had subjected the siblings, who ranged in age from 2 to 29 at the time, to brutal violence and deprived them of food, sleep, hygiene, education and health care. —

Izzy Alvarez, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2024

Adjective

Where Ito’s film distinguishes itself is in the diaristic iPhone videos, which serve as a mode of confrontation for the director as subject. —

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2024 Put Fernando memories in the subject line of your email and send to me at fernandomemories@yahoo.com. —

Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for subject

Recent Examples of Synonyms for subject

Noun

Gino Filippone was at a dinner with seasoned real-estate brokers this spring when the obvious topic came up: the NAR settlement.

Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
News of the death toll sent shock waves through Chinese social media, although the topic ranked only 11th on Weibo, China’s X-like platform, which is subject to strict internet censorship.

Peter Guo, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024