as in deduction
the act or an instance of taking away from a total
the restaurant may not have raised the price, but there's definitely been a subtraction in the number of fries in a side order
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Recent Examples of subtraction
The math of good floods: subtraction Another way that good floods can reduce the risk of bad floods is quite simple: intentional flooding in one place subtracts from the volume of floodwaters that can threaten other places.
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Jeff Opperman, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The art of subtraction is about isolating that piece to identify what truly brings you satisfaction.
—Dr. Jordan Grumet, Contributor, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2025
The club’s roster is also undergoing changes, with a notable subtraction being Jen Beattie, who retired after an 18-year pro career.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025
Too many scenes are sweetened with lousy ADR gags, a real case of subtraction by addition.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Jeff Opperman, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The art of subtraction is about isolating that piece to identify what truly brings you satisfaction.
—Dr. Jordan Grumet, Contributor, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2025
The club’s roster is also undergoing changes, with a notable subtraction being Jen Beattie, who retired after an 18-year pro career.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025
Too many scenes are sweetened with lousy ADR gags, a real case of subtraction by addition.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for subtraction
Cite this Entry
“Subtraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtraction. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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