SUBJECT MATTERS Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

subject matters

noun

plural of subject matter

as in topics

the information or ideas that are discussed or dealt with in a book, movie, etc.; what something is about I found the film's subject matter to be quite disturbing. The magazine's editors care more about style than about subject matter. She disapproves of the artist's choice of subject matter.

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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.

Recent Examples of subject matters The lawsuit spotlights ongoing industry concerns about the mental health of crew and producers, including those working on documentaries dealing with traumatic subject matters. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 15 July 2026 Special sessions are called by the governor or by a petition of three-fifths of the members of both the state House and Senate and are limited to specific subject matters. — Sophia Eppley, AJC.com, 17 June 2026 The ability to read and comprehend is a foundational skill without which students are doomed to fail in mathematics and other subject matters. — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026 Certified teachers will provide small group tutoring assistance for all subject matters for students in second through eighth grade. — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026 Her subject matters have always been serious, but the artist has struggled with how the art institutions responded to her work. — Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025 But the District works very hard to produce a curriculum that is focused on the tools that will best expand our students' understanding of subject matters. — Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for subject matters

Noun

Wildfire prevention and evacuation planning are among the hottest topics at this time of year.

— Chuck Page, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
One of the topics tackled was how to reach next-generation Disney fans with next-generation content formats to keep the company’s many franchises relevant to Gen Alpha and beyond.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of topics

Noun

Instead of allowing agents to unlock the phone, the 30-year-old Atlantan gave them a code that deleted the phone’s contents, federal authorities say.

— Reed Williams, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
If a person loses a home in a wildfire declared a disaster by the governor, the insurance company must offer 65% of the value upfront without requiring an inventory of the home’s contents.

— Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of contents

Noun

For Garfield, the story’s themes of nature, imagination and community feel especially timely as technology increasingly shapes everyday life.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
The cinematic drama is an exploration of violence, body and identity – themes that Lenz has also touched on in his previous work.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of themes

Noun

The church’s nave is decorated in the incredibly intricate Manueline style – motifs that pay tribute to the sea trade that made Portugal rich.

— Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026
His designs were distinguished by adventurous use of color and unconventional materials, often incorporating motifs drawn from nature, animals and the fantastical.

— Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of motifs

Noun

In the three-part docuseries (now streaming on Netflix), Berlinger challenges claims that Manson’s motives behind the killings weren’t to start a race war.

— Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
His opinion argues that courts, even when trying to determine whether a President’s act was official or unofficial, cannot inquire into motives.

— Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of motives

Noun

The defendants contend that allowing a defamation case to proceed on that basis could open the door for documentary subjects who are unhappy with their portrayal to challenge filmmakers' editorial decisions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Working in both color and in black and white, his subjects — sometimes family, sometimes random people, sometimes buildings or streets with nobody in sight — can have the warmth and intensity of his poems.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of subjects

Noun

But by funding facilities and administrative costs normally borne by the schools, states are freeing universities to use their own dollars for other purposes.

— David A. Lieb, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
The number of satellites in orbit now is around 18,000, but it’s expected to reach 100,000 in 2030, driven sharply by the growth of LEO networks for communications and other purposes.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of purposes

Noun

Emergency responders were expected to be busy dealing with urgent matters for 36 hours as the storm passed Hawaii, with damage assessment expected to begin on Monday, said the governor.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
What matters is finding your people, in whatever form that takes, whether that’s online, in a support group, in one friend who really sees you, or in the stories of strangers who made it through something similar.

— Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of matters

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subject matter

subject matters

subjects

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“Subject matters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subject%20matters. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of subject matters

noun

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