noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/səbˈtɹækʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ækʃən
CMU ARPABET:S AH0 B T R AE1 K SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The process of subtracting a number from another.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: arithmetic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A calculation involving subtracting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Topics: arithmetic
Examples
The teacher has set us ten subtractions to do by tomorrow.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The removal of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The subtraction of the wealth from the economy will result in recession.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
the act of subtracting (removing a part from the whole)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he complained about the subtraction of money from their paychecks