deductible

deductible — adjective

1. Describing a sum that can be subtracted from a larger total, such as your income

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Describing a sum that can be subtracted from a larger total, such as your income or tax bill, so that you pay less tax.

Example

Business travel costs are tax deductible for most self-employed workers.

compound adjective: tax deductible

Kofi asked his accountant which of his expenses were tax deductible.

Common collocations
  • tax deductible
  • fully deductible
  • deductible expense
  • deductible amount
  • deductible from income
Synonyms
  • allowable

    broader term; not limited to tax contexts, e.g. 'allowable expenses'

  • deductible from

    phrasal form specifying what the amount is subtracted from

Antonyms
  • non-deductible

    the direct opposite; not allowed to be subtracted

  • taxable

    opposite in the sense that the amount is subject to tax, not subtracted from it

Grammar Patterns

be + deductible

tax deductible (compound adjective)

Usage Note

Often paired with tax-related terms. The compound form 'tax-deductible' (with a hyphen) is very common in both written and spoken English.

Common Mistakes

These items are tax deduction.
These items are tax deductible.
'deductible' is an adjective; 'deduction' is a noun.

deductible — noun

Word family

  • deduct
    verbB1
  • deduction
    nounB1
  • deductive
    adjectiveC1
  • non-deductible
    adjectiveB2
  • tax-deductible
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

In insurance, 'deductible' (US) and 'excess' (UK) both refer to the amount you must pay before your insurer covers the rest — they are regional variants of the same concept. A 'copay' (or 'copayment') is different: a fixed flat fee you pay for each medical visit or prescription, typically small ($10–$50), and it is separate from the deductible. A 'premium' is the regular (often monthly) payment you make to keep the insurance policy active. For example: 'João pays a $200 monthly premium, has a $500 yearly deductible, and a $25 copay for each doctor visit.' Understanding these four terms helps learners navigate insurance conversations accurately.

deductible ↗excess ↗copaypremium ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • deductible expense
  • deductible amount
  • deductible item
  • deductible contribution

Adverbs

  • fully deductible
  • partially deductible
  • directly deductible
  • annually deductible

Phrases

  • tax deductible
  • deductible from income
  • deductible as a business expense

Prepositions

  • deductible from
  • deductible as
  • deductible against

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'deductible' comes from Latin 'deduct-' (led away, taken out) from 'deducere' (to lead away), via the English verb 'deduct' (to subtract). The suffix '-ible' means 'able to be', so the word literally means 'able to be taken away'. It entered English financial usage in the early 20th century, first appearing in tax and then insurance contexts as English speakers needed a word for amounts that could be subtracted from totals or losses.