content and subject share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. content means “(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something”. subject means “the subject matter of a conversation or discussion”. subject is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɑntɛnt/
1.n.(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
“he emptied the contents of his pockets”
2.n.what a communication that is about something is about
3.n.the proportion of a substance that is contained in a mixture or alloy etc.
| content | subject | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑntɛnt/ | /səbˈdʒɛkt/ |
| Said | KAHN-tent | suhb-JEKT |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 7 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb, adjective | noun, verb, adjective |
| Senses | 10 | 14 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | contents | topic, theme |
Full entry for content · Full entry for subject · More comparisons
/səbˈdʒɛkt/
1.n.the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
“he didn't want to discuss that subject”
2.n.something (a person or object or scene) selected by an artist or photographer for graphic representation
“a moving picture of a train is more dramatic than a still picture of the same subject”
3.n.a branch of knowledge
“in what discipline is his doctorate?”