How to Use subtractive in a Sentence

subtractive

adjective
  • On its face, and by the sound of it, degrowth is subtractive, which seems bad.
    — E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2024
  • Lovins’s subtractive insights were not destined for his house alone.
    — Leidy Klotz, Scientific American, 12 May 2022
  • By their subtractive nature, such designs are already light on the wrist.
    — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 24 June 2021
  • Makeup never can be subtractive, though it can be implied with shadow.
    — Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Oct. 2019
  • But of course nothing like that could have happened, and the actual process was subtractive rather than additive.
    — Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
  • Just as there are three primary additive and subtractive colors, there are three charges and anti-charges for the strong forces.
    — Ethan Siegel, Forbes, 20 Apr. 2021
  • Note that subtractive changes would, on balance, better satisfy the instructions to save on costs.
    — Leidy Klotz, Scientific American, 12 May 2022
  • Tragedy often exerts a subtractive centrifugal force on a family, spinning apart and severing the bonds of those who remain.
    — Laura Van Straaten, Town & Country, 25 Feb. 2023
  • But the risk is that this combination of exacting precision and stark moralism can be subtractive rather than additive.
    — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 26 June 2019
  • That's partially because subtractive colors reflect some wavelengths of light and absorb others.
    — Adam Rogers, Wired, 29 Apr. 2021
  • One of the more peculiar features of Morris’ art is that her compositions feel subtractive rather than additive.
    — Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2022
  • Additive genetic variance just means the variants which have additive or subtractive values to the trait value (or, they can be transformed as such).
    — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2011
  • Mills use a subtractive method, starting with a block of solid materials like Crowninshield's blanks and removing all the parts that are not needed.
    — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 20 Feb. 2017
  • The astonishing textures Wyeth obtained were as often subtractive (the result of scraping back into the paint) as additive.
    — Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022
  • The additive/subtractive decision-making strategy is also at play when companies search for a new manager.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 17 Apr. 2021
  • When subjects were explicitly told that removing bricks was free and had no effect on their pay, the share opting for the subtractive solution rose to only 60 percent.
    — Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2021
  • That eliminates the specialized and time-consuming CNC programming that’s required for the subtractive process. Mantle has worked with a number of parts producers to evaluate and validate its materials and technology, including Tessy Plastics and a global medical device manufacturer.
    — Jim Vinoski, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2021
  • But many of the colors that human beings can see emitting them as light, not reflected, not subtractive pigments, but an admissive surface, showed this picture of a dress that became the super unusual thing, which is a bi-modal color illusion.
    — Wired Staff, Wired, 28 May 2021
  • Considering subtractive options has the potential to improve morale and productivity, simplify issues and increase the company’s bottom line.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 17 Apr. 2021
  • Those processes are collectively referred to as subtractive manufacturing.
    — Pam Baker, Ars Technica, 6 Dec. 2018
  • Scientists at the University of Virginia conducted eight experiments in which participants could choose an additive or a subtractive strategy.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 17 Apr. 2021
  • The unusual tools were born out of the designer’s interest in new means of making, specifically ones involving additive techniques, like those used in 3D printing, as opposed to traditional subtractive methods.
    — Kyle Vanhemert, WIRED, 25 June 2013
  • The result is a more flexible system that cuts both cost and process time drastically when compared to traditional subtractive manufacturing methods, while at the same time allowing for material innovation by combining different types of metals in one part.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subtractive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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