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.
But though “Primetime” fails to be a deservedly introspective analysis of its subject matter, it does tee up fair questions about its own existence.
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
That gap between subject matter and classroom time extends beyond a single campus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
From Manhattan skyscrapers to rural barns, the subject matter shows that her observational skills could be focused as intently on the manmade world as on the natural one.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Another is a confusion of the writer’s subject matter with his line of work.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions 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.
