Subject — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈsəb-jikt/ (noun) /səb-ˈjekt/ (verb) sub·ject

Meaning & Definition of Subject

Subject (noun)

  1. one that is placed under authority or control
  2. vassal
  3. one subject to a monarch and governed by the monarch's law

Subject (adjective)

  1. owing obedience or allegiance to the power or dominion of another
  2. suffering a particular liability or exposure
  3. having a tendency or inclination, prone

Subject (verb)

  1. to bring under control or dominion, subjugate
  2. to make (someone, such as oneself) amenable to the discipline and control of a superior
  3. to make liable, predispose

Subject (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition)

    "the subject of our discussion switched from who would be the next president to who was the greatest president in the nation's history"

    similar: content, matter, motif, motive, question, theme, topic
    related: subject matter, talking point, count, idea, point, purpose, consideration, issue, problem, body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, pivot, purport, quick, staple, substance, sum, basis, bottom, essential, essentiality, affair, argument, debate
    near: aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent

  2. a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it

    "because of the tense situation in that country, British subjects were advised to return home as soon as possible"

    similar: citizen, freeman, national
    related: compatriot, countryman, inhabitant, native, nonimmigrant, resident
    opposite: alien, noncitizen
    near: foreigner, stranger, immigrant, nonnative

  3. something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing

    "he has no subject to protest this time, but that's never stopped him before"

    similar: account, authority, grounds, motive, reason, wherefore, why
    related: antecedent, cause, consideration, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, occasion, stimulus

Subject (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring under one's control by force of arms

    "Attila the Hun subjected most of Europe to his barbaric pillage"

    similar: conquer, dominate, overpower, pacify, subdue, subjugate, subordinate, vanquish
    related: annihilate, beat, clobber, crush, defeat, drub, lick, mow (down), overcome, prevail (over), reduce, rout, skunk, smash, thrash, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip, enslave, break, clamp down (on), crack down (on), put down, quash, quell, repress, silence, smother, snuff (out), squash, squelch, suppress
    near: discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, manumit, release, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter

Subject (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in dependent, non-self-governing

    similar: dependent, nonautonomous, non-self-governing, unfree, bound, captive, conquered, enslaved, fettered, subdued, subjugated, inferior, subordinate, subservient
    opposite: autonomous, free, freestanding, independent, self-governed, self-governing, self-ruling, separate, sovereign, freeborn, delivered, emancipated, freed, liberated, manumitted, redeemed, released

Related Entry: Subject (to) (adjective)

Subject (to) is a different word from Subject. The synonyms below are for subject (to), not for subject.

  1. determined by something else

    "your extra piano lesson on Tuesdays is subject to the availability of the music room"

    similar: conditional, contingent (on or upon), dependent, tentative
    related: liable, open, susceptible, limited, modified, qualified, restricted, debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, iffy, problematic, questionable, shady, shaky, suspect, uncertain
    opposite: independent, unconditional
    near: absolute, all-out, arrant, categorical, complete, consummate, out-and-out, outright, perfect, simple, total, ultimate, unadulterated, unalloyed, unconditional, unequivocal, unmitigated, unqualified, utter, basal, basic, fundamental, primary

  2. being in a situation where one is likely to meet with harm

    "this type of wound is highly subject to infection"

    similar: endangered, exposed, liable, open, sensitive, susceptible, vulnerable, at risk, in deep water, in jeopardy
    related: likely, prone, uncovered, undefended, unguarded, unprotected, unscreened, unsecured
    opposite: insusceptible, invulnerable, unexposed, unsusceptible
    near: covered, guarded, protected, safeguarded, screened, secured, sheltered, shielded, warded

Related Entry: Subject matter (noun)

Subject matter is a different word from Subject. The synonyms below are for subject matter, not for subject.

  1. the information or ideas that are discussed or dealt with in a book, movie, etc.; what something is about

    "I found the film's subject matter to be quite disturbing."

    "The magazine's editors care more about style than about subject matter."

    "She disapproves of the artist's choice of subject matter."

    similar: talking point, content, matter, motif, motive, question, subject, theme, topic, count, idea, point, purpose, consideration, issue, problem, body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, pivot, purport, quick, staple, substance, sum, basis, bottom, essential, essentiality, affair, argument, debate
    opposite: aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent

Related Entry: Subject matters (noun)

Subject matters is a different word from Subject. The synonyms below are for subject matters, not for subject.

  1. the information or ideas that are discussed or dealt with in a book, movie, etc.; what something is about

    "I found the film's subject matter to be quite disturbing."

    "The magazine's editors care more about style than about subject matter."

    "She disapproves of the artist's choice of subject matter."

    similar: talking points, contents, matters, motifs, motives, questions, subjects, themes, topics, counts, ideas, points, purposes, considerations, issues, problems, bodies, bulks, burdens, centerpieces, cores, cruxes, essences, fundamentals, generalities, gists, grists, hearts, kernels, keynotes, mains, marrows, masses, nets, nubbins, nubs, nuclei, piths, pivots, purports, quicks, staples, substances, sums, bases, bottoms, essentialities, essentials, affairs, arguments, debates
    opposite: asides, digressions, excursions, interjections, parentheses, tangents

Related Entry: Short subject (noun)

Short subject is a different word from Subject. The synonyms below are for short subject, not for subject.

  1. as in documentary, animated cartoon

    similar: animated cartoon, cartoon, docudrama, documentary, feature, featurette, short, film, flick, flicker, motion picture, movie, moving picture, picture, silent, talkie, B movie, B picture, cofeature

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Subject

The most common words with a similar meaning to Subject:

content, matter, motif, motive, question, theme, topic, citizen, freeman, national, account, authority, grounds, reason, wherefore, why, conquer, dominate, overpower, pacify, subdue, subjugate, subordinate, vanquish, dependent, nonautonomous, non-self-governing, unfree, bound, captive, conquered, enslaved, fettered, subdued, subjugated, inferior, subservient

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Subject

Words with the opposite meaning of Subject:

alien, noncitizen, autonomous, free, freestanding, independent, self-governed, self-governing, self-ruling, separate, sovereign, freeborn, delivered, emancipated, freed, liberated, manumitted, redeemed, released

Related Words for Subject

subject matter, talking point, count, idea, point, purpose, consideration, issue, problem, body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus

Near Antonyms of Subject

aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent, foreigner, stranger, immigrant, nonnative, discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, liberate, manumit, release, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter

Word Forms of Subject

Inflections: subjected, subjecting, subjects

Derived words: subjectless (adjective), subjection (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Subject

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 jet

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Subject

Words & Phrases Containing Subject

subject matter, subject to, subject to review, short subject, tool subject, change the subject, drop the subject

Frequently Asked Questions about Subject

What does "Subject" mean?

"Subject" means one that is placed under authority or control. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: one that is placed under authority or control. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Subject"?

Other words for "Subject" include content, matter, motif, motive, question, theme, topic and citizen. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Subject" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Subject"?

There are 128 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Subject". Common alternatives include content, matter, motif, motive, question, theme, topic, citizen, freeman and national.

What is the opposite of "Subject"?

Antonyms of "Subject" include alien, noncitizen, autonomous, free, freestanding, independent, self-governed and self-governing. Near antonyms include aside, digression, excursion and interjection.

How do you use "Subject" in a sentence?

Examples of "Subject" in a sentence: "the subject of our discussion switched from who would be the next president to who was the greatest president in the nation's history"; "because of the tense situation in that country, British subjects were advised to return home as soon as possible"; "he has no subject to protest this time, but that's never stopped him before".

Is "Subject" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Subject" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Subject" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Subject" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Subject"?

"Subject" is pronounced /ˈsəb-jikt/ as a noun and /səb-ˈjekt/ as a verb and divided into syllables as sub·ject.