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
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 subtraction
Vancouver will also be hoping that this is addition by subtraction as far as cleaning up the locker room dysfunction and public rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson.
—
Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 1 Feb. 2025
On our own, we can get flummoxed and divided by simple subtraction.
—Philip Maymin, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
There’s the subtraction of light, when the windows and the curtains are closed.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024
Pantheon’s current estimate is for a 100,000 net payroll gain, which includes a subtraction of 65,000 workers affected by strikes and hurricanes.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 1 Feb. 2025
On our own, we can get flummoxed and divided by simple subtraction.
—Philip Maymin, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
There’s the subtraction of light, when the windows and the curtains are closed.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024
Pantheon’s current estimate is for a 100,000 net payroll gain, which includes a subtraction of 65,000 workers affected by strikes and hurricanes.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Cite this Entry
“Subtraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtraction. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share