plural subscriptions
1
a
: the act of signing one's name (as in attesting or witnessing a document)
b
: the acceptance (as of ecclesiastical articles of faith) attested by the signing of one's name
2
: something that is subscribed: such as
a
: an autograph signature
also : a paper to which a signature is attached
b
: a sum subscribed or pledged
3
: an arrangement for providing, receiving, or making use of something of a continuing or periodic nature especially on a prepayment plan: such as
a
: a purchase by prepayment for a certain number of regular deliveries of something (such as issues of a periodical) or for a certain period of access to or use of something (such as an online service)
b
: application to purchase securities of a new issue
c
: a method of offering or presenting a series of public performances
d
British : membership dues

Examples of subscription in a Sentence

I'm going to renew my subscription. You won't find this magazine at newsstands. It's sold only by subscription.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Substack has seen an explosion of subscriptions for long-form writing. Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Then the retailers move them to what is in effect a more expensive subscription. Ed Hirs, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 The new service represents the first subscription product from Nexstar. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 July 2026 Built by founders who spent over 15 years scaling HelloFresh, the brand brings deep expertise in customer-focused, reliable subscription services straight to your dog's bowl. Rachel Cortez, USA Today, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for subscription

Word History

Etymology

Middle English subscripcion mark at the end of a document, concluding formula, from Anglo-French, from Latin subscription-, subscriptio, from subscribere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of subscription was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subscription.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subscription. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

subscription

noun
1
: an act or instance of subscribing
2
: something (as a document containing a signature) that is subscribed
3
: an arrangement for providing, receiving, or making use of something of a continuing or periodic nature on a prepayment plan
especially : a purchase of a certain number of future issues (as of a magazine)

Medical Definition

subscription

noun
: a part of a prescription that contains directions to the pharmacist

Legal Definition

subscription

noun
1
: the act of signing one's name (as in attesting or witnessing a document)
2
: something that is subscribed
specifically : a sum subscribed or pledged
a charitable subscription
3
: an agreement to purchase securities (as stocks) of a new issue and especially of a prospective corporation compare warrant sense 3b

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