# subscription

/səbsˈkɹɪpʃən/ (US) · /sʌbskɹˈɪpʃən/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. regular payment for service

noun · CEFR B1

an agreement where you pay a regular amount of money to use a service or receive a product.

For teachers: a commercial arrangement involving periodic payment for continued access to a product or service.

- I decided to cancel my gym subscription because I never had time to go.
- The digital news outlet shifted its business model toward a monthly subscription to ensure a more stable revenue stream than advertising alone.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'to'.

### 2. donating to a fund

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of giving or promising money to a group or a charity.

For teachers: the act of contributing or pledging a sum of money to a common fund or cause.

- The new library was built entirely through public subscription.
- The monument was funded by public subscription, with thousands of local residents contributing small amounts to the memorial fund.

Usage: Commonly used in the context of public works or charitable foundations.

### 3. formal agreement or signature

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

the act of signing your name to show you agree with something.

For teachers: the formal acceptance of a document or belief, often signified by a signature.

- The contract requires the subscription of two witnesses to be valid.
- The legal validity of the deed was questioned due to the lack of proper subscription by the executive board members.

Usage: Frequently appears in legal or historical religious contexts.

## Examples

- I cancelled my gym subscription because I never went.
- The newspaper offers a monthly subscription that includes full access to their digital archives and daily puzzles.
- The shift from one-time purchases to a subscription model has fundamentally altered how software companies project their long-term revenue and manage customer relationships.

---

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.