subject to, be

1. Depend on, be likely to be affected by, as in Our vacation plans are subject to the boss's whims . [Early 1800s]

2. Be likely to incur or receive, as in This memo is subject to misinterpretation . [Late 1300s]

3. Be prone or disposed to, as in This child has always been subject to colds . [Late 1300s]

4. Be under the control or authority of, as in All citizens in this nation are subject to the law . [First half of 1300s]

Example Sentences

Under the government’s plans, from April 2026, inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m, which were previously exempt, will be subject to inheritance tax at 20%.

From BBC

“That means legislation in the Senate could be subject to a filibuster, unless it is part of a budget reconciliation bill or the Republicans eliminate the filibuster,” Kantrowitz said.

From Salon

The proposed agreement also called for Oracle to inspect TikTok’s programming code for vulnerabilities and for the platform’s content to be subject to independent monitoring.

From Los Angeles Times

Regular people, of course, would still be subject to regular criminal courts, where they might get life in prison for stealing a few VHS tapes.

From Slate

But his choice to do so demonstrates how malleable this country’s conception of justice really is: If a defendant is famous and powerful enough, elite lawyers will write in to the newspaper of record to cravenly argue that, as a matter of constitutional law, famous and powerful people actually shouldn’t be subject to the legal system at all.

From Slate

Related Words

• hinge on
• rest on
• revolve around