# subject

/ˈsəbdʒɪkt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/subject
Updated: 2026-04-30

## Senses

### 1. topic

noun · CEFR A2

the thing you are talking, writing, or thinking about.

For teachers: the main theme or topic of a conversation, book, or work of art.

- The subject of the meeting was the new office budget.
- The documentary explores a difficult subject with great sensitivity, focusing on the lives of families displaced by the recent floods.

### 2. field of study

noun · CEFR A2

an area of knowledge that you study at school or university.

For teachers: a branch of knowledge or an academic discipline studied in an educational institution.

- Math was always my favorite subject when I was in high school.
- Students are encouraged to choose at least one science subject to ensure a well-rounded academic foundation before they specialise.

### 4. research participant

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a person or animal that is being studied in an experiment.

For teachers: an individual or entity that is the focus of medical, psychological, or scientific testing.

- The subjects in the sleep study were asked to keep a daily journal.
- Researchers monitored the subjects for six months to determine if the new medication had any long-term side effects on blood pressure.

### 5. citizen of a monarchy

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a person who lives in a country ruled by a king or queen.

For teachers: a person who resides in a state and owes allegiance to a monarch or sovereign power.

- The king addressed his subjects from the balcony of the palace.
- As a British subject living abroad, he was still entitled to certain protections from the embassy during the crisis.

### 6. to force an experience

verb · CEFR B2

to make someone experience something unpleasant.

For teachers: to cause someone or something to undergo a specific, usually negative, experience or treatment.

- The prisoners were subjected to very cold temperatures during the night.
- The new aircraft wing was subjected to extreme pressure in the laboratory to ensure it would not fail during a storm.

Usage: Takes the preposition 'to' followed by a noun.

### 7. depending on

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

only happening if something else happens first.

For teachers: conditional upon or depending on something else.

- The outdoor party is subject to the weather being good on Saturday.
- The sale of the property is subject to a final building inspection and the approval of the bank loan.

Usage: Followed by the preposition 'to'.

### 8. likely to experience

adjective · CEFR B2

likely to be affected by something, usually something bad.

For teachers: having a tendency to be affected by or to experience something unpleasant.

- This area is subject to flooding during the heavy rain in winter.
- Flights in this region are often subject to delays because of the unpredictable mountain fog.

Usage: Followed by the preposition 'to'.

---

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.