subject matter

noun

: matter presented for consideration in discussion, thought, or study

Examples of subject matter in a Sentence

I found the film's subject matter to be quite disturbing. She disapproves of the artist's choice of subject matter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Data scientists and subject matter experts within an enterprise use Snorkel’s software to curate and generate thousands of prompt and response pairs as examples of what a correct answer looks like to a query. Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025 But Adolescence does retain a similar importance of subject matter in its wrenching story about a young English boy credibly accused of stabbing a female classmate to death. Joe Reid, Vulture, 24 May 2025 For centuries, women readers of newspapers were categorized as minds and hearts only interested in subject matter such as cooking, recipes, gardening, social engagement, fashion, decorating, celebrities and raising children. Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025 That the short story wasn’t focused on gay self-loathing or repression appealed to director Hermanus, as well as how the film treats the relationship between Lionel and David with a casualness that belies its potentially upsetting subject matter. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for subject matter

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subject matter was in 1657

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Cite this Entry

“Subject matter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subject%20matter. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

subject matter

noun
: matter presented for consideration in discussion, thought, or study
the poem's subject matter

More from Merriam-Webster on subject matter

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