subtract

verb

sub·​tract səb-ˈtrakt 

subtracted; subtracting; subtracts

transitive verb

: to take away by or as if by deducting

subtract 5 from 9

subtract funds from the project

intransitive verb

: to perform a subtraction

subtracter noun

Synonyms

• abate
• deduct
• knock off
• take off

Examples of subtract in a Sentence

if you subtract 10 from 23, you get 13

you can subtract the time you spent daydreaming from your total homework time

Recent Examples on the Web

The aerospace and defense firm on Tuesday took out the late October low and today subtracted another 4.95% from the price. —John Navin, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Also, subtracting trade services left the PPI increase at just 0.1%. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2024

And the team’s net rating, which subtracts a team's defensive rating from its offensive one, is -8.5, the league's fourth-worst. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 29 Nov. 2024

They are calculated by subtracting the fiber and sugar alcohols from total carbohydrates. —Jonathan Purtell, Verywell Health, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin subtractus, past participle of subtrahere to draw from beneath, withdraw, from sub- + trahere to draw

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

subtract

verb

sub·​tract səb-ˈtrakt 

1

: to take away (as one part or number) from another : deduct

subtract 5 from 9

2

: to perform a subtraction