subscribe

/səbˈskɹaɪb/

//səbˈskɹaɪb// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"subscribe" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“subscribe” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,965 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#6,965
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

subscribe vs subscriber
90% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for subscribe
PropertyValue
Headwordsubscribe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/səbˈskɹaɪb/
Letters9
Frequency rank#6,965
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “subscribe” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). subscribe lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for subscribe is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /səbˈskɹaɪb/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,965 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for subscribe, with forms such as "sbuscribe", "ssubscribe", and "subbscribe". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "subscriber", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English subscriben, subskryben, from Latin subscrībere. Compare its native English equivalent underwrite. The correct English form is subscribe, spelled S-U-B-S-C-R-I-B-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name).
  2. 2
    To sign; to mark with one's signature as a token of consent or attestation.
  3. 3
    To sign up to have copies of a publication, such as a newspaper or a magazine, delivered for a period of time.
  4. 4
    To pay for the provision of a service, such as Internet access, a cell phone plan, or a streaming service.
  5. 5
    To believe or agree with a theory or an idea [with to].
  6. 6
    To pay money to be a member of an organization.
  7. 7
    To contribute or promise to contribute money to a common fund.
  8. 8
    To promise to give, by writing one's name with the amount.
  9. 9
    To agree to buy shares in a company.
  10. 10
    To sign away; to yield; to surrender.
  11. 11
    To yield; to admit to being inferior or in the wrong.
  12. 12
    To declare over one's signature; to publish.
  13. 13
    To indicate interest in the communications made by a person or organization.
  14. 14
    To register for notifications about an event or similar.

Etymology

From Middle English subscriben, subskryben, from Latin subscrībere. Compare its native English equivalent underwrite.

Synonyms

sign upunderwrite

This word in other languages

suscribirse(Español)abonner(Français)abonnieren(Deutsch)assinar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sbuscribe,ssubscribe,subbscribe,subcsribe,subsccribe,subscirbe,subscrbie,subscribbe,subscrieb,subscrribe,subsrcibe,subsscribe,susbcribe,usbscribe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of subscribe - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

sbuscribe2ssubscribe1subbscribe1subcsribe2subsccribe1subscirbe2subscrbie2subscribbe1
Edit distance from "subscribe"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "subscribe"?
"subscribe" is spelled S-U-B-S-C-R-I-B-E. The IPA pronunciation is /səbˈskɹaɪb/.
What does "subscribe" mean?
As a verb, "subscribe" means: To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name).
What words are commonly confused with "subscribe"?
"subscribe" is commonly confused with "subscriber". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "subscribe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "subscribe" is /səbˈskɹaɪb/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "subscribe"?
From Middle English subscriben, subskryben, from Latin subscrībere. Compare its native English equivalent underwrite. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “subscribe”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-U-B-S-C-R-I-B-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /səbˈskɹaɪb/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “subscriber” - see the side-by-side comparison. subscribe vs subscriber
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list