unsub

¹

[ uhn-suhb ]

verb (used with or without object)

, un·subbed, un·sub·bing.

1. to unsubscribe from an online service, email updates, marketing messages, etc.:

   The service renews automatically, but you can unsub at any time.

noun

1. a person or an account that unsubscribes from an online service:

   The site sent too many spam emails in a single day and was flooded with unsubs.

unsub

²

[ uhn-suhb ]

noun

, Police Slang.

1. a suspect in a crime investigation whose identity or name is not known.

unsub

³

[ uhn-suhb ]

adjective

1. not furnished or supported by a subsidy; unsubsidized:

   unsub loans.

Word History and Origins

Origin of unsub¹

First recorded in 1995–2000; by shortening

Origin of unsub²

First recorded in 1960–65; un(known) ( def ) or un(identified) ( def ) + sub(ject) ( def ) (of an investigation)

Origin of unsub³

By shortening

Example Sentences

So are the “uns,” such as unfollow, unsub and unmute.

From Seattle Times

But Unsub revealed that by spending $2 million a year for just 248 of the journals, the university could give researchers at its 64 campuses immediate access to roughly 70% of the Elsevier papers they are likely to read in the next5 years.

From Science Magazine

Unsub is a “game changer,” says Mark McBride, SUNY’s library senior strategist in Albany, and “I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks that.”

From Science Magazine

And with the help of Unsub, McBride says, it concluded “a big deal is no longer necessary in order for a library to function effectively.”

From Science Magazine

Unsub, previously called Unpaywall Journals, was launched in November 2019 by Jason Priem and Heather Piwowar, co-founders of the scholarly services firm Impactstory.

From Science Magazine