subtracting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "subtracting" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in mathematical contexts or when discussing the act of taking one quantity away from another. Example: "When subtracting the two numbers, we find the difference is five."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

By subtracting one energy flow from the other, they found what is called the Earth's energy imbalance.

The Guardian

First, calculate how much you are paid an hour, without subtracting tax and national insurance.

The Guardian - Business

There would be a champion without the nitpicking of subtracting Against from For.

The Guardian - Sport

It is hard not to be reminded of a quote from the late Barton Biggs at the peak of the dotcom bubble: "I'm 100% invested and scared as hell".* The figures are calculating by subtracting the proportion of managers who think shares are undervalued from those who think the opposite.

The Economist

Subtracting the after-tax value of selling the Alibaba stake and another one, in Yahoo Japan (a separate firm), and allowing for Yahoo's cash and debt, that means investors value its core business at little more than $4 billion.

The Economist

By subtracting the signals from the star from those of the combined system, it is possible to identify which gases are present in the planet's atmosphere.Without an atmosphere, all water on Earth would be frozen.

The Economist

It is always actively adding or subtracting from passive money creation.

The Economist

This might be a different form of therapeutic diet or it might be some way of "rebooting" the gut microbiome directly, by adding missing species or subtracting unwanted ones.

The Economist

In its statistics the health ministry has reduced the murder count by two thirds by subtracting "deaths from outside aggression, of unknown intent", of which there were 3,124 in 2011.The problem for President Cristina Fernández is that her government's statistical solipsism no longer washes with Argentines.

The Economist

Subtracting administrative costs of 0.4% leaves a usable return of 5.5%.

The Economist

The system combines those results with ordinary speech audio from a microphone, subtracting unwanted ambient noise or other talkers and leaving just the cheek-wobble frequencies.In January the firm took its technology to CES, a giant technology trade show in Las Vegas and a notoriously ear-splitting environment, and impressed the tech press.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about financial or statistical data, be precise with your language. For instance, instead of just saying "subtracting", specify what is being subtracted from what to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "subtracting" when a simpler term like "removing" or "excluding" would be more appropriate and clearer for a general audience.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "subtracting" is as a verb, specifically the present participle or gerund form of the verb "subtract". As supported by Ludwig, it describes the action of taking one quantity away from another.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "subtracting" functions as a verb form indicating the action of taking away or reducing. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely applicable. The usage analysis reveals its prevalence in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. For alternative phrasing, consider "deducting", "removing", or "taking away", and ensure clarity by specifying what's being subtracted from what. Avoiding simpler terms when unnecessary is a key point. Remember the correct usage is "subtracting from", not "subtracting to".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deducting

Similar meaning, focusing on taking something away from a total.

taking away

A more informal and direct way of saying subtracting.

removing

Implies taking something out or off.

discounting

Focuses on reducing a price or amount.

reducing

Broader term for making something smaller.

lessening

Emphasizes making something less in amount or intensity.

diminishing

Suggests a gradual reduction.

offsetting

Compensating for something by subtracting its effect.

canceling out

Focuses on eliminating the effect of something by subtracting its opposite.

excluding

Specifically refers to leaving something out during the process.

FAQs

How to use "subtracting" in a sentence?

You can use "subtracting" to describe the process of taking away a quantity from another, such as, "By "subtracting the cost" of materials, we can calculate the profit."

What can I say instead of "subtracting"?

You can use alternatives like "deducting", "removing", or "taking away" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "subtracting from" or "subtracting to"?

"Subtracting from" is the correct phrasing. For example, "Subtracting the expenses from the revenue gives the profit." "Subtracting to" is not grammatically correct.

What's the difference between "subtracting" and "deducting"?

While both involve taking away, "deducting" often implies taking away from a total or sum, while "subtracting" is a more general term for taking away a quantity.