# deduct

/dɪˈdəkt/ (US) · /dɪdˈʌkt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/deduct
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

to take away an amount or a part from a total. You often see this when money is taken out of a paycheck for taxes.

For teachers: to subtract an amount or portion from a total sum. Often used in financial or mathematical contexts to describe the removal of specific costs or taxes.

## Examples

- The store will deduct ten dollars from the original price.
- Employers are required by law to deduct income tax and social security contributions directly from their employees' monthly wages.
- When calculating your taxable income, you may be eligible to deduct certain business expenses, effectively reducing the total amount on which you owe tax to the government.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They deducted from my salary the tax." but "They deducted the tax from my salary." — The direct object (the amount) should immediately follow the verb before the prepositional phrase.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the amount being removed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.