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Synonyms

subset

American  
[suhb-set] / ˈsʌbˌsɛt /

noun

  1. a set that is a part of a larger set.

  2. Mathematics. a set consisting of elements of a given set that can be the same as the given set or smaller.

subset British  
/ ˈsʌbˌsɛt /

noun

  1. maths

    1. a set the members of which are all members of some given class: A is a subset of B is usually written A⊆B

    2.  A⊂B.  one that is strictly contained within a larger class and excludes some of its members

  2. a set within a larger set

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
subset Scientific  
/ sŭb′sĕt′ /

  1. A set whose members are all contained in another set. The set of positive integers, for example, is a subset of the set of integers.

Etymology

Origin of subset

First recorded in 1900–05; sub- + set

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.

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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.

Once you do that, the server list updates to the subset of NordWhisper servers, so you can just connect like normal to use an obfuscated server.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

The additional traffic from Lantern or other tools becomes a subset of a much larger whole.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

It’s possible a subset of people will regain all the weight they lost after a certain amount of time, some doctors say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

But 12% took four or more hardship withdrawals, which pointed to a more chronic financial problem for that subset of workers.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

“The truck offers a subset of the day’s drive-in menu.”

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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.