minus
minus — preposition
1. used to show that one number or amount is taken away from another; with the subt
used to show that one number or amount is taken away from another; with the subtraction of.
The teacher showed the class that ten minus three equals seven.
After paying for the tickets, Emre had only two hundred dollars minus the service fee.
minus + noun phrase (amount being subtracted)
The recipe calls for one cup of flour minus two tablespoons.
Rafael calculated his final score by taking the total points minus the penalties.
- minus the cost
- minus expenses
- minus tax
- minus fees
- plus
the opposite operation, showing addition
Grammar Patterns
minus + number/amount
Usage Note
In spoken English, 'minus' can be replaced by 'take away' in simple arithmetic: 'ten take away three is seven'.
Common Mistakes
2. not having something that you would normally expect or want; lacking a particula
not having something that you would normally expect or want; lacking a particular thing or quality.
Dario showed up to the interview minus his usual confidence.
minus + abstract noun (a quality that is absent)
The new phone model comes minus a headphone jack, which annoyed many users.
Élise managed to finish the marathon minus any help from the support team.
The house was beautiful, minus the outdated kitchen that needed a full renovation.
minus + noun phrase (a feature that is missing or inadequate)
- minus the details
- minus the hassle
- minus the extras
Grammar Patterns
minus + noun phrase
Usage Note
This sense is informal and is best used in casual speech and writing. In formal contexts, 'without' or 'lacking' is preferred.
Common Mistakes
plus or minus
idiomUsed to say that a number could be a little higher or lower than the amount given.
The test results were accurate to plus or minus two points.
Can you estimate the cost, plus or minus ten dollars?
minus — noun
1. a feature or aspect of something that makes it less good, useful, or attractive
a feature or aspect of something that makes it less good, useful, or attractive than it could be.
Before buying a car, think carefully about both the pluses and minuses.
the fixed phrase 'pluses and minuses'
One of the minuses of this apartment is the long walk to the nearest station.
Imran listed the pluses and minuses of each option before he made his choice.
A major minus of the job offer was the surprisingly low starting salary.
- pluses and minuses
- major minus
- big minus
- the only minus
- disadvantage
more formal and general; the closest synonym
- drawback
emphasises an undesirable feature
- downside
informal, focusing on the negative side of a situation
- weakness
focuses on a lack of strength rather than a harmful feature
Grammar Patterns
a/the minus
pluses and minuses
Usage Note
Very commonly used in the paired expression 'the pluses and minuses' to weigh advantages against disadvantages in decision-making.
Common Mistakes
2. the symbol (−) used to show that one number is being subtracted from another, or
the symbol (−) used to show that one number is being subtracted from another, or that a number or value is below zero.
The teacher drew a minus sign on the board to explain how subtraction works.
Jiwoo put a minus sign before the number to show it was below zero.
put a minus sign before [number]
A minus sign in front of the total means the business lost money that month.
The calculator screen showed a large minus sign next to the final answer.
- draw a minus sign
- put a minus sign
- minus sign in front of
- minus symbol
- negative sign
used when the symbol sits before a number to show it is below zero
- subtraction sign
describes its function in arithmetic operations
- plus sign
the symbol (+) for addition or positive values
Grammar Patterns
minus sign
Usage Note
Also called a 'negative sign' when it appears before a number to indicate a value below zero (e.g. −5). The written symbol '−' is longer than a hyphen '‐' or a dash '—'.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'He used a hyphen instead of a minus sign in his math homework.' — While often confused in handwriting, a minus sign (−) is typographically longer than a hyphen (-). In everyday writing, however, the hyphen is commonly used for the minus sign.
minus — adjective
1. used of a number or figure that falls beneath zero on a measurement scale.
used of a number or figure that falls beneath zero on a measurement scale.
The company reported a minus profit for the third quarter this year.
minus + financial amount (loss context)
Ezra's math homework asked him to find the minus values on the list.
A minus figure in the budget column means we spent more than we earned.
The battery gauge showed a minus reading when the device was not charging.
- minus number
- minus amount
- minus figure
- minus value
- minus reading
- negative
more formal and preferred in mathematics
- below zero
describes the position on a scale
Grammar Patterns
minus + number
Usage Note
In formal mathematics, 'negative' is preferred over 'minus' when describing values below zero: 'a negative number' rather than 'a minus number'. 'Minus' in this role is more common in everyday and business English.
Common Mistakes
2. describes a temperature that is below zero degrees on the Celsius or Fahrenheit
describes a temperature that is below zero degrees on the Celsius or Fahrenheit scale.
The weather forecast predicted minus ten degrees for tomorrow morning.
minus + number + degrees (temperature)
Adaeze wore three layers of clothing to walk in the minus temperatures outside.
The pipes froze when the outdoor temperature dropped to minus five overnight.
This winter has been unusually cold, with minus readings almost every night.
- minus degrees
- minus temperatures
- minus reading
- minus five
- below freezing
describes the effect rather than the exact measurement
- sub-zero
a more technical alternative
- above zero
temperatures warmer than zero degrees
- plus
used in weather contexts ('plus five degrees')
Grammar Patterns
minus + number + (degrees)
Usage Note
In weather reports, 'minus' is placed directly before the number: 'minus five degrees'. In scientific writing, 'below zero' or 'negative' is often used instead.
Common Mistakes
3. placed after a letter grade (such as A or B) to show that the work is slightly l
placed after a letter grade (such as A or B) to show that the work is slightly lower in quality than that grade normally represents.
Lauren was disappointed to receive a B minus on her history essay.
grade letter + minus (postpositive position)
The professor said an A minus was the highest grade anyone earned on the exam.
Christopher's report card showed C minus marks in both math and science this term.
Mei-Lin retook the exam hoping to improve from a B minus to a solid B.
- A minus
- B minus
- C minus
- D minus
- plus
the opposite modifier, placed after a letter grade to indicate slightly higher quality
Grammar Patterns
grade letter + minus
Usage Note
Unlike most adjectives, 'minus' comes after the noun it modifies in this sense: 'A minus', not 'minus A'. The opposite is 'plus' (e.g. 'A plus' for work slightly above the grade).
Common Mistakes
4. describes a side or aspect of a situation that is negative, harmful, or lacking
describes a side or aspect of a situation that is negative, harmful, or lacking in value.
The minus side of living near the airport is the constant aircraft noise.
minus side / minus point / minus aspect
Eitan pointed out the minus aspects of the proposal during the team meeting.
One minus factor in choosing that school is its distance from the city centre.
The review discussed both the plus and minus points of the new software update.
- minus side
- minus point
- minus aspect
- minus factor
- plus and minus points
- negative
more general and neutral; 'negative side' is very common
- unfavourable
more formal, used in written evaluations
- adverse
stronger tone, used for serious drawbacks
- plus
the paired opposite in evaluative contexts
- positive
describes beneficial aspects
- favourable
formal opposite
Grammar Patterns
minus + noun (side/point/aspect/factor)
Usage Note
This sense typically pairs with 'plus' (e.g. 'the plus and minus points'). Common in evaluative writing, reviews, and comparative decision-making contexts.