SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
subsidiary
adjective
Secondary or supporting rather than principal.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Secondary and supporting
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSubsidiary describes a supporting position rather than the principal role. Minor emphasizes limited importance and need not involve active support.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See subsidiary in use
A subsidiary argument appeared in the final paragraph.
A subsidiary discussion of serving dishes helped explain presentation choices without becoming the report's main argument.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license