subtext

noun

sub·​text ˈsəb-ˌtekst 

: the implicit or metaphorical meaning (as of a literary text)

subtextual

ˌsəb-ˈteks-chə-wəl 

-chəl

adjective

subtextually adverb

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A literary text often has more than one meaning: the literal meaning of the words on the page, and their hidden meaning, what exists "between the lines"—the subtext. Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, for example, is about the Salem witchcraft trials of the 17th century, but its subtext is the comparison of those trials with the "witch hunts" of the 1950s, when many people were unfairly accused of being communists. Even a social conversation between a man and a woman may have a subtext, but you may have to listen very closely to figure out what it is. Don't confuse subtext with subplot, a less important plot that moves along in parallel with the main plot.

Examples of subtext in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The subtext is clear: Stephen needn’t bother coming between these women. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024

This doesn’t mean characters can’t engage in seemingly mundane conversations — but even the most trivial exchange should be laden with subtext or contribute to the story’s atmosphere. —Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024

The subtext of Martha is that Stewart has been punished enough. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024

The film’s subtexts also suggest Oldboy is an overarching allegory of South Korean cultural experiences, with a captive subject forced to be a silent witness to his country’s political and economic upheavals from the past decade. —Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above