subject

American  

[suhb-jikt, suhb-jekt] / ˈsʌb dʒɪkt, səbˈdʒɛkt /

noun

1. that which forms a basic matter of thought, discussion, investigation, etc..

   a subject of conversation.

2. a branch of knowledge as a course of study.

   He studied four subjects in his first year at college.

3. a motive, cause, or ground.

   a subject for complaint.

   Synonyms:

   rationale, reason

4. the theme of a sermon, book, story, etc.

5. the principal melodic motif or phrase in a musical composition, especially in a fugue.

6. an object, scene, incident, etc., chosen by an artist for representation, or as represented in art.

7. a person who is under the dominion or rule of a sovereign.

8. a person who owes allegiance to a government and lives under its protection.

   Swedish subjects are guaranteed access to equal education in childhood.

9. Grammar. (in many languages, such as English) one of the two main parts of a sentence, containing a noun or pronoun and all of its modifiers, which generally refers to the one performing an action, experiencing a condition, or being in a state expressed by a verb: for example, Our best employee in Our best employee gave notice, or He in He is still here.

10. a person or thing that undergoes or may undergo some action.

    As a dissenter, he found himself the subject of the group's animosity.

11. a person or thing under the control or influence of another.

12. a person as an object of medical, surgical, or psychological treatment or experiment.

13. a cadaver used for dissection.

14. Logic. that term of a proposition concerning which the predicate is affirmed or denied.

15. Philosophy.

    1. that which thinks, feels, perceives, intends, etc., as contrasted with the objects of thought, feeling, etc.

    2. the self or ego.

16. Metaphysics. that in which qualities or attributes inhere; substance.

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adjective

1. being under domination, control, or influence (often followed byto ).

   Synonyms:

   subservient, subordinate

2. being under dominion, rule, or authority, as of a sovereign, state, or some governing power; owing allegiance or obedience (often followed byto ).

3. open or exposed (usually followed byto ).

   subject to ridicule.

4. being dependent or conditional upon something (usually followed byto ).

   His consent is subject to your approval.

   Synonyms:

   contingent

5. being under the necessity of undergoing something (usually followed byto ).

   All beings are subject to death.

6. liable; prone (usually followed byto ).

   subject to headaches.

verb (used with object)

1. to bring under domination, control, or influence (usually followed byto ).

2. to bring under dominion, rule, or authority, as of a conqueror or a governing power (usually followed byto ).

3. to cause to undergo the action of something specified; expose (usually followed byto ).

   to subject metal to intense heat.

4. to make liable or vulnerable; lay open; expose (usually followed byto ).

   to subject oneself to ridicule.

5. Obsolete. to place beneath something; make subjacent.

subject British  

noun

1. 1. the predominant theme or topic, as of a book, discussion, etc

   2. ( in combination )

      subject-heading

2. any branch of learning considered as a course of study

3. grammar logic a word, phrase, or formal expression about which something is predicated or stated in a sentence; for example, the cat in the sentence The cat catches mice

4. a person or thing that undergoes experiment, analysis, treatment, etc

5. a person who lives under the rule of a monarch, government, etc

6. an object, figure, scene, etc, as selected by an artist or photographer for representation

7. philosophy

   1. that which thinks or feels as opposed to the object of thinking and feeling; the self or the mind

   2. a substance as opposed to its attributes

8. Also called: theme.  music a melodic or thematic phrase used as the principal motif of a fugue, the basis from which the musical material is derived in a sonata-form movement, or the recurrent figure in a rondo

9. logic

   1. the term of a categorial statement of which something is predicated

   2. the reference or denotation of the subject term of a statement. The subject of John is tall is not the name John, but John himself

10. an originating motive

11. to select a new topic of conversation

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adjective

1. being under the power or sovereignty of a ruler, government, etc

   subject peoples

2. showing a tendency (towards)

   a child subject to indiscipline

3. exposed or vulnerable

   subject to ribaldry

4. conditional upon

   the results are subject to correction

adverb

1. (preposition) under the condition that

   we accept, subject to her agreement

verb

1. (foll by to) to cause to undergo the application (of)

   they subjected him to torture

2. to expose or render vulnerable or liable (to some experience)

   he was subjected to great danger

3. (foll by to) to bring under the control or authority (of)

   to subject a soldier to discipline

4. rare to subdue or subjugate

5. rare to present for consideration; submit

6. obsolete to place below

subject Cultural  

1. A part of every sentence. The subject tells what the sentence is about; it contains the main noun or noun phrase: “The car crashed into the railing”; “Judy and two of her friends were elected to the National Honor Society.” In some cases the subject is implied: you is the implied subject in “Get me some orange juice.” (Compare predicate.)

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subject Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing subject

• change the subject

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Related Words

Subject, theme, topic are often interchangeable to express the material being considered in a speech or written composition. Subject is a broad word for whatever is treated in writing, speech, art, etc.: the subject for discussion. Theme and topic are usually narrower and apply to some limited or specific part of a general subject. A theme is often the underlying conception of a discourse or composition, perhaps not put into words but easily recognizable: The theme of a need for reform runs throughout her work. A topic is the statement of what is to be treated in a section of a composition: The topic is treated fully in this section.

Other Word Forms

• nonsubject noun
• presubject verb (used with object)
• resubject verb (used with object)
• subject-like adjective
• subjectability noun
• subjectable adjective
• subjectless adjective
• subjectlike adjective
• unsubject adjective

Etymology

Origin of subject

First recorded in 1275–1325; (adjective) from Latin subjectus “placed beneath, inferior, open to inspection,” originally the past participle of subicere “to throw or place beneath, make subject,” replacing Middle English suget, from Old French; (noun) from Late Latin subjectum “grammatical or dialectical subject,” replacing Middle English suget, as above; (verb) from Latin subjectāre, frequentative of subicere

Example Sentences

The former “Cosby Show” actor became the subject of viral job-shaming, with critics mocking him for working retail decades after his television success.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

PowerWash Simulator has even been the subject of an Oxford University study, which looked at whether video games affected players' wellbeing.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Wealth managers may be reluctant to put new money into funds that are “gated” with redemption limits in place, or face a high likelihood of being subject to redemption restrictions in the current quarter.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

He has turned the subject of being Israeli into a career-long preoccupation, approached with a sense of queasiness.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The idea is to be able to search for any message by any subject: names of German generals, specific ports or airfields, types of planes or weapons.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• affair
• business
• case
• course
• discussion
• idea
• item
• material
• object
• point
• problem
• proposal
• question
• study
• subject matter
• substance
• theme
• thought
• topic