noun
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maths
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a set the members of which are all members of some given class: A is a subset of B is usually written A⊆B
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A⊂B. one that is strictly contained within a larger class and excludes some of its members
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a set within a larger set
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of subset
Explanation
Use the noun subset when you're talking about a group of things that fit in a larger category. For example, "new horror films" or "new comedies" are subsets of "new movies." You can use the word subset any time you refer to small sets within larger ones, whether you're talking about Halloween candy, greeting cards, or classmates. However, the most common use of subset happens in mathematics, which is where the word comes from originally. Subset is short for "subordinate set," or a set that is entirely contained inside another set — it's subordinate, less important or smaller.
Vocabulary lists containing subset
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.
See Examples For:
This “pulling back from the brink” behavior is illustrated in the accompanying chart, which plots the average recommended equity exposure among a subset of several dozen short-term market-timing newsletters.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
A small subset likely will leave the country, but many will remain without status.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
In a study of this phenomenon, people who picked a chocolate from 30 options enjoyed it less than those who chose from a subset of just six.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
Within this was an intensive-management program for a subset of high-risk patients, including those with Type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes or hemoglobin A1C levels — an indicator of blood sugar — at 9.0% or more.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
It makes me understand that this new robot is a subset of robot called a drone.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
He recognizes that terms like cure and functional cure could be applied in a carefully defined way in certain subsets of patients and be beneficial, but he’s just not ready to declare victory.
From Slate ● Mar. 29, 2026
There are a few more hoops to jump through when using NordVPN because they have subsets of servers dedicated to P2P and obfuscation.
From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2026
You will pay higher fees for factor ETFs that track subsets of the indexes, but some of these may fit your investment objectives.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 14, 2026
There are at least 14 known subsets, or “cliques,” with names such as Ballista Street, Blackwood Street, Northam Street and Dial Avenue, taken from areas where leaders live.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025
This insight has since been applied upward to the stars, and sideways to many subsets of the human family, with great success and invariable opposition.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
