subject matter

American  

noun

1. the substance of a discussion, book, writing, etc., as distinguished from its form or style.

2. the matter that is subject to some action.

3. the matter out of which a thing is formed.

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subject matter British  

noun

1. the substance or main theme of a book, discussion, debate, etc

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Etymology

Origin of subject matter

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

subject matter

Measure gravity by the statute’s subject matter rather than the defendant’s conduct and proportionality review approves everything.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

By contrast, quotes from subject matter experts, particularly university professors, were generally far more accurate.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026

Typically, this type of work would be handled by a less senior attorney at the department who had more direct involvement with the subject matter at hand, the former official said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

The subsequent arguments on social media such as X have often been marked by a distemper out of any proportion to the subject matter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Another is a confusion of the writer’s subject matter with his line of work.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• subject
• text
• topic