subject

Likely to experience or be affected by something, especially something unpleasant.

• Prices are subject to change.
• This area is subject to flooding.
• Older buildings may be subject to stricter safety checks.

How to use it: be subject to something (Flights are subject to delays in bad weather.)

Similar words: prone, susceptible

Common phrases: subject to change, subject to flooding, subject to delays

Only allowed or possible if a particular condition is met.

• The offer is subject to approval.
• Discounted tickets are subject to availability.
• The agreement remains subject to legal review.

How to use it: subject to something (The booking is subject to confirmation.)

Similar words: conditional

Opposites: unconditional

Common phrases: subject to approval, subject to availability, subject to agreement

Ruled or controlled by a person, state, or other authority.

• The province was subject to the emperor.
• Subject peoples had little political power.
• Several small states became subject to the empire.

How to use it: be subject to someone/something (The island was subject to the king.)

Similar words: subordinate, dependent

Opposites: independent

Common phrases: subject to someone, subject peoples, subject nations

An area of knowledge that you study at school or university.

• History is my favourite subject.
• Which subjects do you study?
• She teaches three subjects at the college.

Similar words: discipline, field of study

Common phrases: school subject, favourite subject, study a subject, academic subject

The sentence part that tells who or what does something, or who or what the sentence describes.

• Find the subject of this sentence.
• The subject comes before the verb here.
• Some sentences have more than one subject.

Common phrases: sentence subject, subject pronoun, subject and verb

A person who lives under the rule of a king or queen.

• The king spoke to his subjects.
• She was born a British subject.
• Many subjects demanded a change in the law.

Common phrases: loyal subject, british subject, royal subject, British subject

To make someone or something experience an unpleasant situation or treatment.

• They subjected him to hours of questioning.
• Nobody should be subjected to such abuse.
• The samples were subjected to extreme heat.

How to use it: subject someone/something to something (They subjected the prisoners to harsh treatment.)

Similar words: expose

Common phrases: subject someone to, subject something to