verb · 19 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:/səbˈskɹaɪb/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aɪb
CMU ARPABET:S AH0 B S K R AY1 B
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: archaic outside law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To sign; to mark with one's signature as a token of consent or attestation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
Parties subscribe a covenant or contract; a man subscribes a bond.
Officers subscribe their official acts, and secretaries and clerks subscribe copies or records.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To sign up to have copies of a publication, such as a newspaper or a magazine, delivered for a period of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ergative
Examples
Would you like to subscribe or subscribe a friend to our new magazine, Lexicography Illustrated?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To pay for the provision of a service, such as Internet access, a cell phone plan, or a streaming service.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I subscribed to this streaming service years ago.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To believe or agree with a theory or an idea [with to].
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I don’t subscribe to that theory.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To pay money to be a member of an organization.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To contribute or promise to contribute money to a common fund.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To promise to give, by writing one's name with the amount.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
Each man subscribed ten dollars.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To agree to buy shares in a company.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: business, finance
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To sign away; to yield; to surrender.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To yield; to admit to being inferior or in the wrong.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To declare over one's signature; to publish.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
verb
Meaning 13
To indicate interest in the communications made by a person or organization.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
Please like this video, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
verb
Meaning 14
To register for notifications about an event or similar.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
If you subscribe to the MouseClick event, your application can react to the user clicking the mouse.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
verb
Meaning 15
adopt as a belief
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
I subscribe to your view on abortion
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: support
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: agree, hold, concur, concord
16
verb
Meaning 16
mark with one's signature; write one's name (on)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
She signed the letter and sent it off
Please sign here
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sign
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: write
Narrower terms: rubricate
17
verb
Meaning 17
receive or obtain regularly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
We take the Times every day
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: subscribe to, take
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: buy, purchase
18
verb
Meaning 18
offer to buy, as of stocks and shares
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The broker subscribed 500 shares
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: offer, bid, tender
19
verb
Meaning 19
pay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity or service, especially at regular intervals
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
I pledged $10 a month to my favorite radio station
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pledge
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: donate
History
Etymology
From Middle English subscriben, subskryben, from Latin subscrībere (“write beneath”). By surface analysis, sub- + scribe. Compare its native English equivalent underwrite.
Across languages
Translations
123 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
اِشْتَرَكَ
(ištaraka)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Armenian:
բաժանորդագրվել
(bažanordagrvel)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Azerbaijani:
yazılmaq
— to sign up to receive a publication
Basque:
harpidetu
— to sign up to receive a publication
Belarusian:
падпі́свацца
(padpísvacca)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Belarusian:
падпіса́цца
(padpisácca)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Bulgarian:
абони́рам
(aboníram)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Catalan:
subscriure's
— to sign up to receive a publication
Chinese Mandarin:
訂閱 /订阅
(dìngyuè)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Chinese Mandarin:
訂購 /订购
(dìnggòu)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Czech:
předplácet si
— to sign up to receive a publication
Czech:
předplatit si
— to sign up to receive a publication
Danish:
abonnere
— to sign up to receive a publication
Dutch:
abonneren
— to sign up to receive a publication
Esperanto:
aboni
— to sign up to receive a publication
Finnish:
tilata
— to sign up to receive a publication
French:
abonner
— to sign up to receive a publication
French:
s'abonner
— to sign up to receive a publication
French:
souscrire
— to sign up to receive a publication
Georgian:
გამოწერა
(gamoc̣era)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Georgian:
გამოიწერს
(gamoic̣ers)
— to sign up to receive a publication
German:
abonnieren
— to sign up to receive a publication
Hebrew:
נִמְנָה
(nimná)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Hungarian:
feliratkozik
— to sign up to receive a publication
Indonesian:
langgan
— to sign up to receive a publication
Ingrian:
kirjuttaa
— to sign up to receive a publication
Irish:
foscríobh
— to sign up to receive a publication
Italian:
abbonarsi
— to sign up to receive a publication
Japanese:
購読する
(kōdoku suru)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Korean:
구독하다
(gudokhada)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Latvian:
abonēt
— to sign up to receive a publication
Macedonian:
се претплатува
(se pretplatuva)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Macedonian:
се претплаќа
(se pretplaḱa)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Macedonian:
се претплати
(se pretplati)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Malay:
langgan
— to sign up to receive a publication
Māori:
ohauru
— to sign up to receive a publication
Norwegian Bokmål:
abonnere
— to sign up to receive a publication
Norwegian Nynorsk:
abonnere
— to sign up to receive a publication
Polish:
abonować
— to sign up to receive a publication
Polish:
zaabonować
— to sign up to receive a publication
Polish:
subskrybować
— to sign up to receive a publication
Portuguese:
assinar
— to sign up to receive a publication
Romanian:
abona
— to sign up to receive a publication
Russian:
подпи́сываться
(podpísyvatʹsja)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Russian:
подписа́ться
(podpisátʹsja)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Russian:
выпи́сывать
(vypísyvatʹ)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Russian:
вы́писать
(výpisatʹ)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Kildin-Sami:
кырьйхуввэ
(kyr’jxuvve)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Serbo-Croatian:
претпла́тити
— to sign up to receive a publication
Serbo-Croatian:
pretplátiti
— to sign up to receive a publication
Upper Sorbian:
abonować
— to sign up to receive a publication
Spanish:
suscribirse
— to sign up to receive a publication
Spanish:
subscribirse
— to sign up to receive a publication
Swedish:
prenumerera
— to sign up to receive a publication
Turkish:
abone olmak
— to sign up to receive a publication
Ukrainian:
передпла́чувати
(peredpláčuvaty)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Ukrainian:
передплати́ти
(peredplatýty)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Ukrainian:
підпи́суватися
(pidpýsuvatysja)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Ukrainian:
підписа́тися
(pidpysátysja)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Vietnamese:
đăng kí
— to sign up to receive a publication
Welsh:
tanysgrifio
— to sign up to receive a publication
Yiddish:
אַבאָנירן
(abonirn)
— to sign up to receive a publication
Chinese Mandarin:
訂閱 /订阅
(dìngyuè)
— to pay for the provision of a service
Finnish:
tilata
— to pay for the provision of a service
Finnish:
ostaa
— to pay for the provision of a service
Finnish:
olla asiakas
— to pay for the provision of a service
Hungarian:
előfizet
— to pay for the provision of a service
Māori:
ohauru
— to pay for the provision of a service
Norwegian Bokmål:
abonnere
— to pay for the provision of a service
Norwegian Nynorsk:
abonere
— to pay for the provision of a service
Polish:
abonować
— to pay for the provision of a service
Polish:
zaabonować
— to pay for the provision of a service
Portuguese:
assinar
— to pay for the provision of a service
Spanish:
abonar
— to pay for the provision of a service
Swedish:
abonnera
— to pay for the provision of a service
Vietnamese:
đăng kí
— to pay for the provision of a service
Vietnamese:
thuê bao
— to pay for the provision of a service
Bulgarian:
приемам
(priemam)
— to believe or agree with an idea
Chinese Mandarin:
同意
(tóngyì)
— to believe or agree with an idea
Finnish:
allekirjoittaa
— to believe or agree with an idea
Norwegian Bokmål:
betro
— to believe or agree with an idea
Portuguese:
aderir apoiar concordar
— to believe or agree with an idea
Spanish:
suscribir
— to believe or agree with an idea
Spanish:
subscribir
— to believe or agree with an idea
Swedish:
skriva under
— to believe or agree with an idea
Finnish:
maksaa jäsenmaksu
— to pay money to be a member of an organization
Māori:
ohauru
— to pay money to be a member of an organization
Vietnamese:
đăng kí
— to pay money to be a member of an organization
Chinese Mandarin:
認購 /认购
(rèngòu)
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Chinese Mandarin:
認捐 /认捐
(rènjuān)
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Czech:
zapsat se
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Finnish:
lahjoittaa
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Finnish:
luvata lahjoittaa
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Romanian:
subscrie
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Russian:
запи́сываться
(zapísyvatʹsja)
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Russian:
записа́ться
(zapisátʹsja)
— to contribute or promise to contribute
Finnish:
luvata lahjoittaa
— to promise to give
Chinese Mandarin:
認購 /认购
(rèngòu)
— to agree to buy shares in a company
Finnish:
merkitä osakkeita
— to agree to buy shares in a company
Polish:
subskrybować
— to agree to buy shares in a company
Swedish:
teckna sig för
— to agree to buy shares in a company
Armenian:
ստորագրել
(storagrel)
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Chichewa:
kulémba
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Chinese Mandarin:
簽署 /签署
(qiānshǔ)
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Czech:
podepsat
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Finnish:
allekirjoittaa
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Icelandic:
undirrita
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Macedonian:
потпи́шува
(potpíšuva)
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Norwegian Bokmål:
underskrive
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Norwegian Bokmål:
undertegne
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Norwegian Nynorsk:
underskrive
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Norwegian Nynorsk:
undertegne
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Romanian:
subscrie
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Russian:
подпи́сывать
(podpísyvatʹ)
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Russian:
подписа́ть
(podpisátʹ)
— to sign as token of consent or attestation
Bulgarian:
подписвам
(podpisvam)
— to sign at the bottom of a document
Finnish:
allekirjoittaa
— to sign at the bottom of a document
Norwegian Bokmål:
signere
— to sign at the bottom of a document
Finnish:
alistua
— to yield; to surrender
Norwegian Bokmål:
overgi
— to yield; to surrender
Finnish:
luovuttaa
— to yield; to admit to being inferior or in the wrong