subsume

verb

sub·​sume səb-ˈsüm How to pronounce subsume (audio)
subsumed; subsuming

transitive verb

: to include or place within something larger or more comprehensive : encompass as a subordinate or component element
red, green, and yellow are subsumed under the term "color"
subsumable adjective

Examples of subsume in a Sentence

games and team sports are subsumed under the classification of “recreation”
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Which is why the West must help the Georgian people free themselves before the West is gradually, inexorably, subsumed under the same regimes. Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 The town's natural swamplands appear to have been subsumed by the storm's torrential rain, covering much of the terrain in shallow, standing water. NBC News, 28 Sep. 2024 This 13-episode techno-horror about a young girl who is slowly subsumed into a life on the Wired (the show’s version of the internet) is a perfect pre-Y2K-paranoia binge. Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2024 Shortly thereafter, OpenAI produced evidence showing Musk was well aware of this likelihood in late 2017, supported it himself, and only broke with the organization after he was not allowed to run it as CEO or subsume it into Tesla. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for subsume 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin subsumere, from Latin sub- + sumere to take up — more at consume

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subsume was in 1818

Dictionary Entries Near subsume

Cite this Entry

“Subsume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsume. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

subsume

verb
sub·​sume səb-ˈsüm How to pronounce subsume (audio)
subsumed; subsuming
: to include or place within something larger or more general
red and green are subsumed under the term "color"

More from Merriam-Webster on subsume

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!