To expose to something: patients subjected to infection.
To cause to experience: subjected to extreme weather.
To subjugate; subdue.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin sūbiectus, from past participle of sūbicere, to subject : sub-, sub- + iacere, to throw; see yē- in Indo-European roots.]
sub·jec'tion (səb-jěk'shən) n.
Synonyms: 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.