change the subject

Idioms  

1. Deliberately talk about another topic, as in If someone asks you an embarrassing question, just change the subject. This term uses subject in the sense of “a topic of conversation,” a usage dating from the late 1500s.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

change the subject

You prefer to change the subject, but I am sick of hearing about the ballroom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

A few hours later, at Michigan State University, El-Sayed did his best to change the subject, just as he later did with me.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

Suddenly the moderator intervenes to change the subject.

From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2025

I usually just downplay it and change the subject.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 2025

“So where do you live?” he asked, to change the subject.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---