unsubscribe

American  

[uhn-suhb-skrahyb] / ˌʌn səbˈskraɪb /

verb (used without object)

unsubscribed, unsubscribing

1. to cancel a subscription to or remove a name from an online mailing list, publication, or service.

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verb (used with object)

unsubscribed, unsubscribing

1. to remove (a subscriber) from an online mailing list, publication, etc.

unsubscribe British  

/ ˌʌnsəbˈskraɪb /

verb

1. (intr) to cancel a subscription, for example to an emailing service

   you can unsubscribe at the following URL

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Etymology

Origin of unsubscribe

First recorded in 1980–85; un- ² ( def. ) + subscribe ( def. )

Explanation

When you cancel an agreement to receive a magazine, newsletter, or streaming service, you unsubscribe. If a political group sends an overwhelming number of emails every week, you should probably unsubscribe. To subscribe is to sign up for something, from the Latin root subscribere, "sign or write underneath." When you add the prefix un-, "not," you get unsubscribe. If you ever realize you regret subscribing to something, whether it's the local newspaper you never have time to read, or an expensive cake-of-the-month club, you can always decide to unsubscribe!

Example Sentences

Audit your inbox: Search your email for the words “sale” or “deal” and unsubscribe from the five retailers you shop at the most.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

And bring your bills, your credit-card statements, your school forms, the streaming services you need to unsubscribe from, the airline miles you need to manage, the expenses app you need to figure out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

Newsom signed into law a bill that requires subscription services to provide a one-click option to unsubscribe, among other consumer protections.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2024

To get off Twitter, to unfollow and unsubscribe, to turn off the talking heads, even if for just a little while.

From Salon • Jan. 4, 2024

The computer will ask you if you're sure you want to "unsubscribe."

From Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet by Electronic Frontier Foundation