subjective

¹sub·jec·tive

adj \(ˌ)səb-ˈjek-tiv\

Definition of SUBJECTIVE

1

: of, relating to, or constituting a subject: as a obsolete : of, relating to, or characteristic of one that is a subject especially in lack of freedom of action or in submissiveness b : being or relating to a grammatical subject; especially : nominative

2

: of or relating to the essential being of that which has substance, qualities, attributes, or relations

3

a : characteristic of or belonging to reality as perceived rather than as independent of mind : phenomenal — compare objective 1b b : relating to or being experience or knowledge as conditioned by personal mental characteristics or states

4

a (1) : peculiar to a particular individual : personal <subjective judgments> (2) : modified or affected by personal views, experience, or background <a subjective account of the incident> b : arising from conditions within the brain or sense organs and not directly caused by external stimuli <subjective sensations> c : arising out of or identified by means of one's perception of one's own states and processes <a subjective symptom of disease> — compare objective 1c

5

: lacking in reality or substance : illusory

— sub·jec·tive·ly adverb

— sub·jec·tive·ness noun

— sub·jec·tiv·i·ty \-ˌjek-ˈti-və-tē\ noun

Examples of SUBJECTIVE

1. Dreaming is a subjective experience.
2. a person's subjective perception of the world
3. Personal taste in clothing is very subjective.
4. In reviewing applicants, we consider both objective criteria, such as test scores, and subjective criteria, such as leadership ability.
5. Law can be maddeningly subjective. So much is left up to your own interpretation.
6. Art is never a commodity. Commodities are identical units of sure value—bushels of wheat, say—whose price fluctuates from time to time and place to place. Art works are one-of-a-kind … items, materially worthless, which have in common that a price is asked for them. Their value is entirely subjective. —Peter Schjedlahl, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2009
7. Our perception of loudness is subjective, but sound has an intensity, independent of our hearing, that is measured in decibels (dB). —Jennifer Barone, Discover, July/August 2009
8. Science is the study of facts—things that are measurable, testable, repeatable, verifiable. I won't bore you with the inevitable discussion of objective reality and how it's ultimately unknowable because we filter it through our individual subjective realities, I'll cut directly to the chase. Science is about the stuff we can agree on. Rocks are hard, water is wet. —David Gerrold, Fantasy & Science Fiction, September 2005
9. Besides, I am not doing this for the anthropology. My aim is nothing so mistily subjective as to “experience poverty” or find out how it “really feels” to be a long-term low-wage worker. —Barbara Ehrenreich, Harper's, January 1999

Origin of SUBJECTIVE

(see ¹subject)

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to SUBJECTIVE

Synonyms: idiomatic, individualized, particular, patented, peculiar, personal, personalized, private, privy, separate, singular, individual, unique

Antonyms: general, generic, popular, public, shared, universal

Related Words: characteristic, distinctive, intimate; identifying, idiosyncratic; especial, express, special, specific; independent, nonconformist, self-directed, self-sufficient; custom, customized, specialized

Near Antonyms: broad, prevailing, prevalent, widespread; common, normal, regular, typical

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Rhymes with SUBJECTIVE

advective, affective, bijective, collective, connective, convective, corrective, defective, deflective, detective, directive, effective, elective, ejective, infective, inflective, injective, invective, objective, perfective, perspective, projective, protective, reflective, respective, selective