subtract

[ suhb-trakt ]

verb (used with object)

1. to withdraw or take away, as a part from a whole.

   Antonyms: add

2. Mathematics. to take (one number or quantity) from another; deduct.

   Antonyms: add

verb (used without object)

1. to take away something or a part, as from a whole.

   Antonyms: add

subtract

/ səbˈtrækt /

verb

1. to calculate the difference between (two numbers or quantities) by subtraction
2. to remove (a part of a thing, quantity, etc) from the whole

Derived Forms

• subˈtracter, noun

Other Words From

• sub·tracter noun
• unsub·tracted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of subtract¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin subtractus (past participle of subtrahere “to draw away from underneath”), equivalent to sub- sub- + trac- (past participle stem of trahere “to draw”) + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of subtract¹

C16: from Latin subtractus withdrawn, from subtrahere to draw away from beneath, from sub- + trahere to draw

Synonym Study

Subtract, deduct express diminution in sum or quantity. To subtract suggests taking a part from a whole or a smaller from a larger: to subtract the tax from one's salary. To deduct is to take away an amount or quantity from an aggregate or total so as to lessen or lower it: to deduct a discount. Subtract is both transitive and intransitive, and has general or figurative uses; deduct is always transitive and usually concrete and practical in application.

Example Sentences

Some, consequently, subtracted the five undersized kiwis from the total and answered “185.”

From Los Angeles Times

Interactive tables will allow you to explore the actors of Warner Bros. past and present, while special effects stations can add or subtract digital accouterments with the movement of a knob.

From Los Angeles Times

How do you add, how do you subtract, how do you balance those types of things?

From Los Angeles Times

The data, given by individuals, can be also death and emigration, which subtract.

From Science Daily

That means stocks that add or subtract more dollars to their stock price push and pull it the most, such as UnitedHealth Group and its $523 stock price.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• deduct
• withhold

More About Subtract

What does subtract mean?

Subtract means to take something away, usually as in taking a piece out of a whole.

In math, subtract means to perform subtraction, the operation in which you find difference between two numbers or quantities.

You can subtract one thing from another, as in We need to subtract the cost of labor from our total profits.

You can also subtract something without mentioning what you’re subtracting it from, as in If you subtract the busy traffic, my day wasn’t that bad. In other words, when you consider everything in my day, except for the traffic it wasn’t a bad day.

For the most part, subtract usually refers to taking a small piece away from a bigger whole. However, subtracting can potentially result in negative amounts or debts when you’re subtracting numbers.

When you first learned subtraction, your teacher might have said that when we subtract, we are “taking away” one number from another. For example, if you subtract 3 from 5, you take away 3 from 5, which leaves you with 2.

Example: I need to remember to subtract my electric bill from my monthly budget.

Where does subtract  come from?

The first records of subtract come from around 1530. It comes from the Latin verb subtrahere, meaning “to draw away from underneath.”

Subtracting numbers is one of the first operations we learn in math. Even very large numbers can be subtracted quickly by separating out numbers into columns of smaller units.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to subtract?

• subtraction (noun)
• subtractive (adjective)
• subtracter (noun)

What are some synonyms for subtract?

• take away
• deduct
• withhold
• decrease
• remove

What are some words that share a root or word element with subtract? 

• tract
• trace
• submarine
• subliminal
• subject

What are some words that often get used in discussing subtract?

• difference
• loss
• removal
• math
• add
• multiply
• divide

How is subtract used in real life?

Subtract is a common word that means to take something away or to perform subtraction.

If I ask for cash in a briefcase, will they subtract the cost of the briefcase?

— Zack Kahn (@zackkahn) July 4, 2010

Surround yourself with people who subtract from your stress, not add to it.

— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) June 21, 2015

Pick number between 1 & 5. Multiply by 9. Add the two digits of the new number together. Now subtract 5. Is your final number 4? #BrainGames

— National Geographic TV (@NatGeoTV) April 17, 2013

Try using subtract!

True or False?

To subtract something, you add it to something else.