Standard Lemma guide

subscribe

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

Usage: intransitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

Examples

  • 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
  • Finnish: julistaa — to publish
  • Norwegian Bokmål: publisere — to publish