deduct

American  

[dih-duhkt] / dɪˈdʌkt /

verb (used with object)

deducts, present (3rd person singular) deducted, past participle, past deducting present participle

1. to take away, as from a sum or amount.

   Once you deduct your expenses, there is nothing left.

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verb (used without object)

deducts, present (3rd person singular) deducted, past participle, past deducting present participle

1. detract; abate (usually followed byfrom ).

   The rocky soil deducts from the value of his property.

deduct British  

/ dɪˈdʌkt /

verb

1. (tr) to take away or subtract (a number, quantity, part, etc)

   income tax is deducted from one's wages

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Synonym Usage

See subtract.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undeducted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• deducting
  present
• deducted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• deduct
  simple
• deducts
  simple
• have deducted
  perfect
• has deducted
  perfect
• am deducting
  progressive
• are deducting
  progressive
• is deducting
  progressive
• have been deducting
  perfect progressive
• has been deducting
  perfect progressive

Past

• deducted
  simple
• had deducted
  perfect
• was deducting
  progressive
• were deducting
  progressive
• had been deducting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will deduct
  simple
• will have deducted
  perfect
• will be deducting
  progressive
• will have been deducting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of deduct

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin dēductus “brought down, withdrawn,” past participle of dēdūcere; see deduce

Explanation

To deduct is to remove or take away some amount. If your boss deducts money from your paycheck because you're always late to work, she subtracts it. When taxes are withheld from your salary, your employer deducts them to pay your contribution. Each time you use a debit card, it deducts the amount you spend from your bank account. A different way to deduct is to come to a reasoned, thoughtful conclusion, or to deduce. The two words were once interchangeable, while now it's more common to use deduct to mean "remove a portion," and deduce to mean "infer logically."

Example Sentences

This matters because the King only voluntarily pays tax on income spent personally, meaning the King can effectively deduct royal business from his tax bill.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

That means you cannot deduct your contributions from your taxable income, but that’s it.

From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026

This means, for example, they can deduct the cost of investment in developing projects against tax and carry forward those credits against future profits.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Let’s run through three options if you are not eligible to deduct the contribution: remove it, recharacterize it or leave it in the IRA.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

“I'm going to have to deduct the money for a glass beetle,” the burly redbeard announced as he let himself fall into his vast armchair.

From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke

Related Words

• reduce
• subtract
• withdraw
• write off