Subscribe vs. Ascribe: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
To subscribe means to arrange to receive something regularly, typically a service, while to ascribe is to attribute something, like a quality or value, to a source or cause.
Key Differences
Subscribe typically refers to the action of arranging to receive something regularly, such as a magazine or online service, often through payment. Ascribe, conversely, involves attributing a quality, cause, or value to someone or something, often as a form of analysis or judgment.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Subscribing is a voluntary action indicating a person's interest or need for a continuous service or product. Ascribing is more about making an inference or conclusion, linking characteristics or outcomes to specific sources or factors.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
The act of subscribing often involves an ongoing commitment, such as monthly fees for a magazine or streaming service. Ascribing, however, is a cognitive act, where one assigns responsibility, credit, or characteristics to entities or situations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Subscription is commonly used in the context of commerce and consumer services. Ascription is frequently employed in discussions involving analysis, such as psychology, sociology, or literary criticism.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
To unsubscribe is to withdraw from a subscription, ending the regular receipt of services or products. To misascribe, on the other hand, means incorrectly attributing a trait, action, or cause to the wrong source or entity.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Arrange to receive something regularly
Attribute qualities or causes
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Common Usage
Services, products, memberships
Causes, characteristics, sources
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Dec 01, 2023
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Subscribe and Ascribe Definitions
Subscribe
Subscribe often involves a financial arrangement.
They subscribe to several online streaming platforms.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Ascribe
Ascribe means to attribute something to a particular cause or source.
Critics ascribe the success of the novel to its unique narrative style.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Ascribe
Ascribing involves explaining phenomena by linking them to factors.
The rise in sales was ascribed to the effective new marketing strategy.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Subscribe
To sign (one's name) at the end of a document, especially to attest to or authenticate it.
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Oct 19, 2023
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Ascribe
To ascribe can involve assigning responsibility or credit.
The coach ascribed the team's victory to their rigorous training.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Subscribe
To sign one's name to (a document) in attestation, testimony, or consent
Subscribe a will.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
Ascribe is used in discussing the origins of ideas or objects.
Historians ascribe the invention of the printing press to Gutenberg.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Subscribe
To purchase or claim the shares of (a new issue of stock, bonds, or other securities)
A bond offering that is fully subscribed.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
To ascribe also means associating traits with specific groups or individuals.
Certain qualities are often ascribed to leaders.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Subscribe
To contract to receive and pay for a certain number of issues of a publication, for access to a website that is protected by a paywall, for tickets to a series of events or performances, or for a utility service, for example.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
To regard as arising from a specified cause or source
"Other people ascribe his exclusion from the canon to an unsubtle form of racism" (Daniel Pinchbeck).
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To agree to an ongoing arrangement by which one receives online content, as from a specific website or a specific user on a website.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
To regard as belonging to or produced by a specified agent, place, or time
Ascribed the poem to Shakespeare.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
(transitive) To attribute a cause or characteristic to someone or something.
One may ascribe these problems to the federal government; however, at this stage it is unclear what caused them.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To purchase or claim shares of a new issue of stock, bonds, or other securities
An investor who subscribed for 100 shares.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
(transitive) To attribute a book, painting or any work of art or literature to a writer or creator.
It is arguable as to whether we can truly ascribe this play to Shakespeare.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
To attribute, impute, or refer, as to a cause; as, his death was ascribed to a poison; to ascribe an effect to the right cause; to ascribe such a book to such an author.
The finest [speech] that is ascribed to Satan in the whole poem.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
(ergative) To sign up to have copies of a publication, such as a newspaper or a magazine, delivered for a period of time.
Would you like to subscribe or subscribe a friend to our new magazine, Lexicography Illustrated?
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
To attribute, as a quality, or an appurtenance; to consider or allege to belong.
More than good-will to me attribute naught.
Ascribes his gettings to his parts and merit.
And fairly quit him of the imputed blame.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To pay for the provision of a service, such as Internet access or a cell phone plan.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Ascribe
Attribute or credit to;
We attributed this quotation to Shakespeare
People impute great cleverness to cats
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Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To believe or agree with a theory or an idea to}}.
I don’t subscribe to that theory.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
(intransitive) To contribute or promise to contribute money to a common fund.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
(transitive) To promise to give, by writing one's name with the amount.
Each man subscribed ten dollars.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
(transitive) To sign; to mark with one's signature as a token of consent or attestation.
Parties subscribe a covenant or contract; a man subscribes a bond.
Officers subscribe their official acts, and secretaries and clerks subscribe copies or records.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
(archaic) To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name).
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
(intransitive) To indicate interest in the communications made by a person or organization.
Please like this video, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To register for notifications about an event or similar.
If you subscribe to the MouseClick event, your application can react to the user clicking the mouse.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To write underneath, as one's name; to sign (one's name) to a document.
[They] subscribed their names under them.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To sign with one's own hand; to give consent to, as something written, or to bind one's self to the terms of, by writing one's name beneath; as, parties subscribe a covenant or contract; a man subscribes a bond.
All the bishops subscribed the sentence.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To attest by writing one's name beneath; as, officers subscribe their official acts, and secretaries and clerks subscribe copies or records.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To promise to give, by writing one's name with the amount; as, each man subscribed ten dollars.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To declare over one's signature; to publish.
Either or must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a coward.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To give consent to something written, by signing one's name; hence, to assent; to agree.
So spake, so wished, much humbled Eve; but FateSubscribed not.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To yield; to admit one's self to be inferior or in the wrong.
I will subscribe, and say I wronged the duke.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
To set one's name to a paper in token of promise to give a certain sum.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
Offer to buy, as of stocks and shares;
The broker subscribed 500 shares
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
Mark with one's signature; write one's name (on);
She signed the letter and sent it off
Please sign here
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
Pay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity or service, especially at regular intervals;
I pledged $10 a month to my favorite radio station
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Subscribe
Subscribe means to sign up to receive regular services or publications.
She decided to subscribe to the monthly beauty box.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Subscribe
To subscribe can imply agreeing with or endorsing an idea.
He subscribes to the philosophy of minimalism.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Subscribe
Subscribe can mean to support or follow regularly.
Many people subscribe to her YouTube channel for daily updates.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Subscribe
To subscribe can also mean signing a document.
All members were required to subscribe their agreement on the contract.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 25, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What does "subscribe" mean?
To agree or give one's consent, often by signing.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Can "subscribe" be used in a digital context?
Yes, like subscribing to an online newsletter or channel.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Are there any common phrases with "subscribe"?
"Subscribe to the theory" or "subscribe to the service."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Can "subscribe" indicate support or agreement?
Yes, like subscribing to an idea.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Is "ascribe" a common word?
It's less common, often used in formal contexts.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
How do you use "ascribe" in a sentence?
"He ascribed his success to hard work."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Does "subscribe" have different meanings?
Yes, from agreeing to a service to supporting an idea.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Can "ascribe" be used interchangeably with "attribute"?
Often, but not always.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Can "ascribe" be used in legal terms?
Yes, ascribing responsibility or blame.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Is "ascribe" used in psychological contexts?
Yes, like ascribing emotions or motives.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
Does "ascribe" have different meanings?
Primarily used for attributing qualities or actions to a source.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 01, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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