# subscriber

/səbsˈkɹaɪbɝ/ (US) · /səbskɹˈaɪbɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/subscriber
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. person using a service

noun · CEFR B1

someone who pays for or signs up to receive a magazine, a streaming service, or regular updates from a website.

For teachers: an individual who pays a subscription fee or registers for regular access to a publication, digital service, or telecommunications network.

- The magazine has over ten thousand monthly subscribers who receive the print edition by mail.
- The streaming platform reported a significant increase in new subscribers following the release of its highly anticipated original series.

Usage: often used with the preposition 'to' followed by the service name.

### 2. software component

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a part of a computer system that waits for and receives specific information or updates from another part.

For teachers: a software component or object that registers to receive events, messages, or data updates from a publisher in a messaging pattern.

- The subscriber receives a notification every time the database is updated.
- In this architecture, the subscriber remains decoupled from the publisher, allowing for greater scalability and easier maintenance of the messaging system.

Usage: typically used in the context of the 'publish-subscribe' architectural pattern.

### 3. person who signs a document

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a person who signs their name at the bottom of a formal document to show they agree with it.

For teachers: a person whose signature appears at the end of a document, often to indicate agreement, support, or financial commitment.

- The subscribers to the agreement promised to provide the necessary funding.
- The subscribers of the petition demanded a formal inquiry into the local council's recent zoning decisions.

Usage: frequently appears in legal contracts or formal petitions.

## Examples

- The channel gained its millionth subscriber today.
- Every new subscriber receives a welcome email with a discount code for their first month of service.
- The platform's growth strategy shifted from aggressive acquisition to retention, as the cost of gaining a new subscriber began to exceed the lifetime value of existing ones.

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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.