Word
subtract
Phoneticssub·tract, stress on the second syllable
US/səbˈtɹækt/
UK/sʌbtɹˈækt/
Definition
v. to take a number or an amount away from another number to find the difference.
v. to remove a quantity or number from another to calculate the remainder. Transitive; requires a direct object representing the amount being removed.
Examples
“If you subtract five from ten, you get five.”
“The accountant had to subtract the business expenses from the total revenue to calculate the net profit.”
“When calculating the final grade, the professor will subtract points for any assignments submitted after the established deadline.”
Examples
simple
“If you subtract five from ten, you get five.”
contextual
“The accountant had to subtract the business expenses from the total revenue to calculate the net profit.”
complex
“When calculating the final grade, the professor will subtract points for any assignments submitted after the established deadline.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and typically follows the pattern 'subtract [amount] from [total]'.
Pitfall
subtract ten with five
subtract five from ten
In English, you subtract the smaller number 'from' the larger one; 'with' is not used in this context.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin subtractus, perfect passive participle of subtrahō (“I draw from beneath; withdraw, remove”); from sub (“under”) + trahō (“I draw, pull, drag”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/subtract