# sub

/ˈsəb/ (US) · /sˈʌb/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sub
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. substitute person

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a person who takes the place of another, especially a player in a game or a temporary teacher.

For teachers: A substitute, typically referring to an athlete who replaces another during a match or a teacher covering a class.

- The coach decided to bring on a sub for the last ten minutes of the game.
- The regular chemistry teacher was out on medical leave, so a sub had to manage the laboratory session.

### 2. submarine

noun · CEFR B1

a ship that can travel underwater.

For teachers: A submarine; a naval vessel capable of independent operation underwater.

- The crew spent three months living on the sub without seeing daylight.
- The sonar technician detected a faint signal that suggested an enemy sub was patrolling the perimeter of the bay.

### 3. sandwich

noun · CEFR B1 · American English · Informal

a long bread roll filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables.

For teachers: A submarine sandwich; a large sandwich consisting of a long roll split lengthwise and filled with various ingredients.

- I grabbed a turkey sub from the deli for lunch.
- The local deli is famous for its massive Italian sub, which is packed with four different types of cured meat.

### 4. subscription

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

a regular payment you make to a club or for a service like a magazine or website.

For teachers: A subscription; a formal agreement to receive a service or support an organization through periodic payments.

- I need to pay my annual sub for the tennis club this week.
- The magazine's digital subs have increased significantly since they introduced the new mobile application.

### 5. subtitles

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the text at the bottom of a screen that shows what people are saying.

For teachers: A subtitle; text displayed at the bottom of a cinema or television screen that translates or transcribes the dialogue.

- I usually watch foreign films with the subs turned on.
- The fan-made subs for the anime were much more accurate than the official translation provided by the studio.

### 6. subreddit

noun · CEFR B2 · Slang

a specific area or community on the website Reddit.

For teachers: A subreddit; a specific online forum or community dedicated to a particular topic on the social news website Reddit.

- There is a great sub for people who love gardening and sharing tips.
- The moderator of the sub had to ban several users for violating the community's strict posting guidelines.

### 7. to substitute

verb · CEFR B1 · Informal

to take someone's place or to put a new person into a game.

For teachers: To act as a substitute or to replace one person with another, particularly in a professional or athletic context.

- Can you sub for me at the meeting tomorrow afternoon?
- The manager decided to sub the exhausted striker in the final minutes of the championship match.

### 8. to subscribe

verb · CEFR B2 · Slang

to sign up for a service or follow a creator online.

For teachers: To subscribe to a channel, service, or publication, especially in the context of digital content creators.

- Don't forget to like this video and sub to my channel.
- The YouTuber encouraged his viewers to sub so they wouldn't miss the upcoming documentary series.

## Examples

- I joined a new sub to learn about gardening.
- The moderators of the sub decided to ban political discussions to keep the community focused on photography.
- While the main site attracts millions of visitors, the niche sub provides a more intimate space for experts to exchange technical advice without the noise of general threads.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.