What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
subsequence
Example
The subsequence of even numbers in the sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is 2, 4, 6. [subsequence: noun]
Example
The subsequence of letters 'a', 'b', and 'c' in the word 'alphabet' is 'abc'. [subsequence: noun]
Example
The subsequence of steps required to complete the project must be followed in order. [subsequence: noun]
subset
Example
The set of even numbers is a subset of the set of integers. [subset: noun]
Example
The group of red apples is a subset of the larger group of apples. [subset: noun]
Example
The category of fruits is a subset of the larger category of foods. [subset: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Subset is more commonly used than subsequence in everyday language. Subset is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while subsequence is less common and is mainly used in mathematics and computer science.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between subsequence and subset?
Both subsequence and subset are formal words, but subsequence is more technical and specialized, making it more formal than subset in certain contexts.
