subject matter
Americannoun
-
the substance of a discussion, book, writing, etc., as distinguished from its form or style.
-
the matter that is subject to some action.
-
the matter out of which a thing is formed.
noun
Etymology
Origin of subject matter
First recorded in 1590–1600
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It wasn’t the outcome, either: “Small Prophets” is about some of the most challenging subject matter — grief and loss — while remaining genuinely funny and rather extraordinary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Perhaps we’re just as responsible for trivializing the show’s subject matter as the show itself.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
At Washington Monthly, they’ve incorporated an earnings metric for years and they try to control to some extent for subject matter, but it can be challenging, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
The past was basically: Become a subject matter expert, define what you’re better at than everybody else and then that is essentially how you make yourself rare and valuable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
“The subject matter here is very intriguing. And the way you manipulate shadows is very impressive, especially for someone so young.”
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
