subscription
/səbˈskrɪpʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /səbˈskrɪpʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /səb-ˈskrip-shən/ (ame, mw)
subscription — noun
- subscriptionsingular
- subscriptionsplural
1. a sum of money handed over at set intervals — typically each month or each year
a sum of money handed over at set intervals — typically each month or each year — in exchange for continued access to a product, service, or publication.
Felix pays a monthly subscription for a music streaming service he shares with his family.
monthly subscription + streaming service
The magazine's print subscription costs sixty dollars a year and arrives every month.
Camille cancelled her gym subscription after she moved to a different neighborhood.
Andrés took a three-month subscription to a language-learning app before his trip to Tokyo.
Many software companies now charge a yearly subscription instead of a single purchase fee.
- membership
overlaps in meaning but suggests belonging to an organization rather than receiving a service
- plan
broader term used for mobile or insurance plans that involve regular payments
- prepayment plan
less common; emphasizes paying in advance for a period of service
- one-time purchase
a single payment that gives permanent access
文法句型
subscription + to + [service/publication]
take out + a + subscription
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'take out', 'renew', and 'cancel'. The preposition 'to' introduces the service or publication (a subscription to a newspaper).
常見錯誤
2. a regular payment that you must make in order to belong to a club, a society, or
a regular payment that you must make in order to belong to a club, a society, or another kind of organization.
The annual subscription for the local history society is thirty dollars per person.
annual subscription + [society]
Walid renewed his subscription to the professional engineers' association last week.
renew a subscription + professional association
Aoi forgot to pay her library subscription and could not borrow books for two weeks.
Roya's yoga studio subscription gives her unlimited classes and access to the sauna.
- membership dues
more common in American English; implies a fixed regular payment to remain a member
- membership fee
neutral term that sounds less formal than 'subscription' in this sense
文法句型
[club/society] + subscription
pay + [number] + subscription
用法筆記
This sense is especially common in British English for clubs and societies. In American English, 'membership dues' or simply 'membership fee' is more frequent.
常見錯誤
3. a ticket or pass that allows you to attend all the performances, shows, or sport
a ticket or pass that allows you to attend all the performances, shows, or sporting events in a particular series over a fixed period.
The theater's subscription for this season includes four plays and two ballet performances.
theater subscription + season
Justin bought a concert-hall subscription so he could see every orchestra show that winter.
Kabir gave his parents a subscription to the opera house as a birthday gift.
A full subscription to the football club's home matches costs less than buying separate tickets.
- season ticket
more common for sports; interchangeable for performing arts in British English
- season pass
common for amusement parks and some sports; implies entry rather than reserved seating
- single ticket
a ticket for just one performance or game
文法句型
[theater/concert hall] + subscription
subscription + to + [series of events]
用法筆記
Used especially in the context of performing arts venues (theaters, opera houses, concert halls) and major sports clubs. The subscription usually reserves the same seat for every event in the series.
常見錯誤
4. a formal offer that allows investors to purchase newly issued stock in a busines
a formal offer that allows investors to purchase newly issued stock in a business, often at a set or reduced price during the initial release.
Existing shareholders received the right to a subscription for new shares at a discounted price.
right to a subscription + discounted price
Investors who missed the initial subscription could not buy shares at the lower price.
initial subscription — stock offering
Rafael submitted a subscription for two thousand shares in the renewable-energy startup.
The board approved a new share subscription plan to raise capital for expansion.
- share offering
more general term for when shares are made available; does not imply an investor's action
- rights issue
a specific type of subscription where existing shareholders get first priority
文法句型
subscription + for + [shares]
share + subscription
rights + subscription
用法筆記
Typically appears in formal financial documents or announcements. Often combined with 'rights' ('rights subscription') when existing shareholders have first refusal on new shares.
常見錯誤
5. the formal act of writing your name on a document to show that you agree with it
the formal act of writing your name on a document to show that you agree with its contents or to confirm that you witnessed someone else signing it.
The witness added her subscription at the bottom of the will before the notary.
subscription + at the bottom of + legal document
A notary public must be present for the subscription of each signature on the affidavit.
subscription + of + signature
The lawyer confirmed that the subscription matched the name printed on the contract.
The deed was not valid until the seller's subscription appeared below the final clause.
文法句型
[person]'s + subscription + of + [document]
用法筆記
This is an older, formal sense found mainly in legal contexts. In modern everyday language, 'signature' or 'signing' has replaced 'subscription' for this meaning.
6. an amount of money that someone has agreed to give, especially to support a char
an amount of money that someone has agreed to give, especially to support a charity, a religious organization, or a community project.
The church depends on annual subscriptions from its members to run youth programs.
annual subscription + charitable purpose
Talia made a subscription of five hundred dollars to the children's hospital building fund.
make a subscription + of + [amount] + to + [cause]
The charity drive collected subscriptions totaling over ten thousand dollars in one week.
Soraya's monthly subscription to the local food bank helps feed thirty families during the winter.
- pledge
emphasizes the promise to give; often used in fundraising campaigns
- donation
broader term covering any gift of money; does not necessarily imply a regular commitment
- contribution
neutral term; can be one-time or recurring
文法句型
[person] + makes + a + subscription + of + [amount]
annual + subscription + to + [charity]
用法筆記
Closely related to sense 1 but distinct because the money is a pledged gift rather than payment for a service. Often used in religious or charitable fundraising contexts.