subtract

/səbˈtɹækt/

//səbˈtɹækt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"subtract" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“subtract” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #25,600. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#25,600
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To remove or reduce; especially to reduce a quantity or number.

Corpus desk

Index EN-subtract · subtract · English

subtract · rank #25,600 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #25,600
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH supermodel

Nearest frequency peer: supermodel (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “subtract”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “subtract” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for subtract
PropertyValue
Headwordsubtract
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/səbˈtɹækt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#25,600
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “subtract”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).subtractlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “supermodel” (#25,601), “stuttering” (#25,598), “susceptibility” (#25,602). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “subtract” is #25,600. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around subtract (IPA /səbˈtɹækt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #25,600 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Dominant gloss: "To remove or reduce; especially to reduce a quantity or number.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for subtract, with forms such as "sbutract", "ssubtract", and "subbtract". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin subtractus, perfect passive participle of subtrahō (“I draw from beneath; withdraw, remove”); from sub (“under”) + trahō (“I draw, pull, drag”). The correct English form is subtract, spelled S-U-B-T-R-A-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To remove or reduce; especially to reduce a quantity or number.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how subtract appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. If you subtract the $100 for gas from the total cost, it was a fairly inexpensive trip.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin subtractus, perfect passive participle of subtrahō (“I draw from beneath; withdraw, remove”); from sub (“under”) + trahō (“I draw, pull, drag”).

Synonyms

takeunaddsubtracttake away

Antonyms

addsummate

This word in other languages

sustraer(Español)soustraire(Français)subtrahieren(Deutsch)subtrair(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • sbutract
  • ssubtract
  • subbtract
  • subrtact
  • subtarct
  • subtracct
  • subtractt
  • subtratc
  • subtrcat
  • subtrract
  • subttract
  • sutbract
  • usbtract

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of subtract - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

sbutract2ssubtract1subbtract1subrtact2subtarct2subtracct1subtractt1subtratc2
Edit distance from "subtract"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "subtract"?
"subtract" is spelled S-U-B-T-R-A-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /səbˈtɹækt/.
What does "subtract" mean?
As a verb, "subtract" means: To remove or reduce; especially to reduce a quantity or number.
What are common misspellings of "subtract"?
Common misspellings include "sbutract", "ssubtract", "subbtract", "subrtact", "subtarct". The correct spelling is "subtract".
How do you pronounce "subtract"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "subtract" is /səbˈtɹækt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "subtract"?
Borrowed from Latin subtractus, perfect passive participle of subtrahō (“I draw from beneath; withdraw, remove”); from sub (“under”) + trahō (“I draw, pull, drag”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "subtract", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

syphilis#25,606tabletop#25,608sparsely#25,589solstice#25,586

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

tingling13 variantsslowdown13 variantsviolinist13 variantsanxiously13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list