Synonyms for subject

modified

Under rule
governed, ruled, controlled, directed, obedient, submissive, subaltern, servile, slavish, subservient, subjected, at one's feet, at the mercy of.
Dependent
liable to, contingent on, subject to, dependent on, open to, accountable to, answerable to; see also subordinate.

noun

Matter for discussion
substance, matter, theme, material, topic, thesis, text, question, problem, theorem, motion, resolution, point, case, gist, matter in hand, subject for inquiry, item on the agenda, topic under consideration, field of inquiry, head, chapter, proposition, argument, thought, discussion.
A title
head, caption, legend; see name 1, title 1.
One owing allegiance
citizen, national, vassal; see citizen. See syn. study at citizen.

subject is the general word for whatever is dealt with in discussion, study, writing, art, etc. math is her favorite subject, her son is a frequent subject in her paintings; a theme is a subject developed or elaborated upon in a literary or artistic work, or one that constitutes the underlying motif of the work a novel with a social theme; a topic is a subject of common interest selected for individual treatment, as in an essay, or for discussion by a group of persons baseball is their favorite topic of conversation; text is specifically applied to a Biblical passage chosen as the subject of a sermon

verb

control, tame, master, subdue, reduce, subjugate, enslave, vanquish, defeat, rule, enthrall, dominate, subordinate, make subservient, suppress, constrain, Finlandize, restrain, lead captive; see also govern 1, hinder.

Antonyms liberate*, release, rescue.

See subject in American Heritage Dictionary 4 Synonyms

subject matter topic theme

These nouns denote the principal idea or point of a speech, a piece of writing, or an artistic work. Subject is the most general: “Well, honor is the subject of my story” (Shakespeare).
Matter refers to the material that is the object of thought or discourse: “This distinction seems to me to go to the root of the matter” (William James).
A topic is a subject of discussion, argument, or conversation: “They would talk of . . . fashionable topics, such as pictures, taste, Shakespeare” (Oliver Goldsmith).
Theme refers especially to an idea, a point of view, or a perception that is developed and expanded on in a work of art: “To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme” (Herman Melville).

See Also Synonyms at citizen, dependent.

See subject in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II

adjective

In a position of subordination:
collateral, dependent, subordinate, subservient. See over, part
Tending to incur:
liable, open, prone, susceptible, susceptive, vulnerable. See likely
Determined or to be determined by someone or something else:
conditional, conditioned, contingent, dependent, relative, reliant. See start

noun

A person owing loyalty to and entitled to the protection of a given state:
citizen, national. See group, politics
What a speech, piece of writing, or artistic work is about:
argument, matter, point, subject matter, text, theme, topic. See meaning
A sphere of activity, experience, study, or interest:
area, arena, bailiwick, circle, department, domain, field, orbit, province, realm, scene, terrain, territory, world. (Slang) bag. See territory

verb

To lay open, as to something undesirable or injurious:
expose. Idiom: open the door to. See protection
To make subservient or subordinate:
enslave, enthrall, subjugate. See free

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