subject

1 of 3

noun

sub·​ject ˈsəb-jikt How to pronounce subject (audio)
-(ˌ)jekt
1
: one that is placed under authority or control: such as
a
: vassal
b(1)
: one subject to a monarch and governed by the monarch's law
(2)
: one who lives in the territory of, enjoys the protection of, and owes allegiance to a sovereign power or state
2
a
: that of which a quality, attribute, or relation may be affirmed or in which it may inhere
b
: substratum
especially : material or essential substance
c
: the mind, ego, or agent of whatever sort that sustains or assumes the form of thought or consciousness
3
a
: a department of knowledge or learning
b
c(1)
: one that is acted on
the helpless subject of their cruelty
(2)
: an individual whose reactions or responses are studied
(3)
: a dead body for anatomical study and dissection
(4)
: a person who has engaged in activity that a federal prosecutor has identified as being within the scope of a federal grand jury investigation
Most white-collar criminal defendants started out as subjects of a grand jury investigation," said Bruce Green, a former federal prosecutor and a law professor at Fordham.Adam Serwer
d(1)
: something concerning which something is said or done
the subject of the essay
(2)
: something represented or indicated in a work of art
e(1)
: the term of a logical proposition that denotes the entity of which something is affirmed or denied
also : the entity denoted
(2)
: a word or word group denoting that of which something is predicated
f
: the principal melodic phrase on which a musical composition or movement is based
subjectless
ˈsəb-jikt-ləs How to pronounce subject (audio)
-(ˌ)jekt-
adjective

subject

2 of 3

adjective

1
: owing obedience or allegiance to the power or dominion of another
2
a
: suffering a particular liability or exposure
subject to temptation
b
: having a tendency or inclination : prone
subject to colds
3
: contingent on or under the influence of some later action
the plan is subject to discussion

subject

3 of 3

verb

sub·​ject səb-ˈjekt How to pronounce subject (audio)
ˈsəb-ˌjekt
subjected; subjecting; subjects

transitive verb

1
a
: to bring under control or dominion : subjugate
b
: to make (someone, such as oneself) amenable to the discipline and control of a superior
2
: to make liable : predispose
3
: to cause or force to undergo or endure (something unpleasant, inconvenient, or trying)
was subjected to constant verbal abuse
subjection noun
Choose the Right Synonym for subject

Noun

citizen, subject, national mean a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state.

citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

the rights of a free citizen

subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

the king's subjects

national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

American nationals working in the Middle East

Adjective

liable, open, exposed, subject, prone, susceptible, sensitive mean being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse.

liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

liable to get lost

open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

a claim open to question

exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

exposed to infection

subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

all reports are subject to review

prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

prone to delay

susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

very susceptible to flattery

sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

unduly sensitive to criticism

Examples of subject in a Sentence

Noun The new museum is the subject of an article in today's paper. Death is a difficult subject that few people like to talk about. I need to break the news to her, but I'm not sure how to bring up the subject. If you're interested in linguistics, I know an excellent book on the subject. an excellent book on the subject of linguistics These meetings would be much shorter if we could keep him from getting off the subject. The morality of capital punishment is a frequent subject of debate. Chemistry was my favorite subject in high school. The classes cover a variety of subject areas, including mathematics and English. Verb Attila the Hun subjected most of Europe to his barbaric pillage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Fan service is always a complicated subject with Star Wars. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024 Walmart was the recent subject of complaints on social media from customers who noticed some self-checkout kiosks reserved for Walmart+ members, who pay $98 per year for free next-day and two-day shipping on many online orders. Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024 The spot plays before every movie shown at AMC Theatres and has become a popular subject for drag performers to spoof during shows, as the outlet noted. Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Still, scientists hundreds of years ago managed to study these elusive subjects with ingenious methods. Maddie Bender, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024 Some critics have tied Doty to popular parts of the expansive mythology that surrounds the subject, including the promotion of the Roswell crash as a seminal event in its history. Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Keith’s plan is to open a senior dog center on the property, with orthopedic beds, water treadmills and ramps to help older pups who spent their lives as test subjects regain strength and learn socialization skills before they are rehomed. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 San Diego was also a city that was and still is, for the most part, not the subject of nearly as much literature, art, music and film as our neighbors to the north in California. Jim Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2024 Each month, the SELF Well-Read Book Club highlights a timely, delightful, and crucial book on a subject that helps readers live better lives. Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 18 Mar. 2024
Adjective
All health care technology vendors that exceed a certain size or scope should be subject these measures. Jonathan Slotkin and David Vawdrey, STAT, 14 Mar. 2024 Advocates and subject experts have criticized the commission for not addressing the issue. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 22 Feb. 2024 To reply to other posts, simply include ‘re:’ or ‘to’ the topic in the subject line of your post. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 The merger will be subject of a March 22 vote by DWAC shareholders. Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 This signals Sandler’s singular ethnic instincts (a subject worth future study). Armond White, National Review, 8 Mar. 2024 Of course, with consultation also comes the risk that the subject or family members will raise issues. Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 And how predictive those tests are of eventual teacher success depends largely on the setting where it’s studied — factors such as grade level, subject and intended outcome. Emily Tate Sullivan, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 Both class size reductions would come in the 2025-26 school year, officials said, and would only affect core subject classrooms: English, math, science, and social studies. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 10 Feb. 2024
Verb
That plan subjects the three states to reductions in water use under certain river conditions but also seeks to impose reductions on upstream states if reservoirs approach critical levels. The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Here, in this claustrophobic environment, a young man regularly subjects himself to humiliating defeats. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 The results of the probe could subject Boeing to criminal liability, depending on its outcome. Chris Isidore, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 The audience is treated (subjected?) to more shots of a baby in utero than might be entirely comfortable, all in service to a subplot involving the sister who will presumably be joining Paul in the next chapter. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Here is what a first-time DUI can subject you to in Arizona: A mandatory minimum jail sentence can last for up to six months. David Stubblefield, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 The new law applied the rules to chains with at least 60 national locations instead of 100, subjecting more companies to the higher pay requirement. Daniela Sirtori-Cortina, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 To test this, Rolls-Royce subjected 18 different samples of wood veneer to a 1,000-hour simulation of global weather extremes. Alistair Charlton, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Police say that was because the families did not want to subject their young daughters to the criminal justice system. Ana Claudia Chacin, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subject.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English suget, subget, from Anglo-French, from Latin subjectus one under authority & subjectum subject of a proposition, from masculine & neuter respectively of subjectus, past participle of subicere to subject, literally, to throw under, from sub- + jacere to throw — more at jet

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of subject was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near subject

Cite this Entry

“Subject.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subject. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

subject

1 of 3 noun
sub·​ject ˈsəb-jikt How to pronounce subject (audio)
1
a
: a person under the authority or control of another
b
: a person who owes loyalty to a monarch or state
2
a
: a department of knowledge or learning
b
: an individual (as a person or a mouse) that is studied or experimented on
c
: the person or thing discussed : topic
the subject of an essay
3
: a noun or term functioning as a noun about which something is stated in the predicate of a sentence
"child" in "the child threw the ball" is the subject

subject

2 of 3 adjective
1
: owing obedience or loyalty to another
2
a
: likely to be affected by
subject to temptation
b
: having a tendency
subject to catching colds
3
: depending on
subject to your approval

subject

3 of 3 verb
sub·​ject səb-ˈjekt How to pronounce subject (audio)
1
a
: to bring under control or rule
b
: to make responsive to the discipline and control of a superior
2
: to make likely
his poor conduct subjected him to criticism
3
: to cause or force to put up with something difficult, unpleasant, or inconvenient
unwilling to subject us to embarrassment
subjection noun

Medical Definition

subject

noun
sub·​ject ˈsəb-jikt How to pronounce subject (audio)
1
: an individual whose reactions or responses are studied
2
: a dead body for anatomical study and dissection

Legal Definition

subject

noun
sub·​ject ˈsəb-ˌjekt How to pronounce subject (audio)
: the person upon whose life a life insurance policy is written and upon whose death the policy is payable : insured compare beneficiary sense b, policyholder

More from Merriam-Webster on subject

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