you have to subscribe to the dictionary now

Hi! With the OED, it has been like that at least since I started university in 2007. However, lots of public libraries have subscriptions. I just go to my library website, login, and follow the link to the OED. There are many other reference tools that are also included in my library card. Libraries rule!
Edit: you can check merriam-webster for free, I think
- Instructions crystal clear, researching etymology of 500-year-old words 😍
  Thanks San Francisco Public Library!
  
  2005 Yes I'm getting a crystal clear picture on this new video phone
  Press X to doubt.

You can still buy the book or access the site via most libraries.
I get that it's a bit annoying, but I'm guessing you'd also be annoyed about an ad-ridden, data-harvesting dictionary.
The Oxford English Dictionary is without a doubt the most well-researched, comprehensive, and linguistically complete English dictionary on Earth, bar none. Nothing even comes close to its depth and scope.
It perhaps is the most well-researched and comprehensive dictionary of all languages, but I wouldn't know.
It's laid out in an unusual way and even has words and alternate meanings that haven't been used for centuries. It's not meant to be a general-purpose dictionary, it's niche and predominantly for linguistic experts or people fascinated by language.
An unbelievable amount of research goes into it, and those people deserve to be paid.
There are dozens of freely-available general-purpose dictionaries out there if you want them.
- I was annoyed, like the OP, then I read your comment and now I'm impressed and have an urge to buy a copy of OED I most certainly will never open. They owe you a commission on my sale.
  
  A copy will literally fill a shelf. It comes in volumes with addenda releases periodically.
- I don't think you can buy the book. It was 20 volumes in 1989, and they've been working on an ongoing update since then. There's no plans to physically print a third edition.
  But yeah, it's a serious scholarly resource, and they do put out free small dictionaries as well.
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/
  
  You are right, it's wayyy too large to fit in one book, I misspoke when I said book
  I had no idea they don't want to make physical copies anymore, though, part of me is sad about that, although I can certainly appreciate why they'd go in that direction.
  
  You can still buy it in print. It's $1215. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-english-dictionary-9780198611868

- With ads! Wait, I also dislike those... They should figure it out for themselves!
  
  They did, they put up a paywall 🙂

The OED has never been free. Go buy a copy and you'll know why.
- In spite of the undeniable truth that the Oxford English Dictionary is a magnificent and exhaustive source of information on the etymology and meaning of the English language, it is my personal inclination to favor their compendium of synonyms and antonyms, which I prefer to other possibilities for their rich collection of words with similar or opposite meanings.
  
  I use Power Thesaurus lol
- I bought a copy and I'm still wondering why.
  
  Then maybe open it and read a bit?

If you're after an online dictionary, I personally like Wiktionary.
- Yep, only copyleft services (of which Wiktionary is one) can be trusted not to be paywalled or otherwise subverted in the long run.

Here's the word, if you were wondering:

Wasn’t it always a subscription? You really would only have easy access in a university library.

It’s an extensively researched and informative book, much more so than other dictionaries. That information gathering process has to be paid for somehow.

Cambridge dictionary is free.

'$searchTerm def' on any search engine
- And use the OED (Online Etymology Dictionary) for any etymological related queries.

This is why you should instead use Wiktionary and donate your child's entire college fund to the Wikimedia foundation

Here is an alternative that aggregates from multiple sources: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/
While I do not oppose paying for definitions, there is someone confusing about collectively generated meaning being aggregated and packaged by one company for profit. A publicly maintained dictionary is a much much better alternative. I guarantee it would be more versatile and rigorous than this Oxford stuff.
- one company
  It’s a good thing there are lots of other dictionaries than the OED then.

There are plenty of other dictionaries and some of them are made of something called paper.
- What is... "pah-per"?
  
  That’s the stuff Bill Buttlicker was trying to buy from that rude salesperson.

I personally use collins english dictionary. It's the best online dictionary I've found (best descriptions).

thats not bad actually. joey tribbiani had to pay $50 and he only got the v words

I think Cambridge dictionary is free.

I just paid a one off fee for the Chambers app. It's just as comprehensive

$29.95 a month? ok. The $100 a year is… better I guess.
Surprised Wikipedia hasn’t put something like this is place yet. Maybe their end-year donations push brings in enough to hold it off.
- The OED is like 150 years old with literally thousands of people scouring every possible source of English for any possible permutation of every word ever. It’s a reference for specialists, not public consumption.
  
  Yet every unusual entry I thought to look up says this:
  Some aren’t even that complicated or lengthy to define. As a specialist who would possibly use it, not terribly impressed.

FYI Running Ublock Origin is enough to grant access to this dictionary, among others. At least seems to work for me without any paywalls (unless its a geoblock? I'm looking at it from the Nordics).

The unabridged OED has never been cheap to buy. I'm honestly surprised it took this long.

One way to get access to ~~OED~~ ODE without paying a cent is by using kindle app. When you highlight an English word, if will open the dict. You can search for any word from there.

It works OK for me, but I'm in the UK so maybe it's subscription only for foreigners.

If the dictionary was free for all, how do you, OP, envision it would finance itself.
Specifically: hosting, web design, keeping the dictionary up to date (new words, linguistic shift, new entomological research etc).
Please, elaborate. Until then you're a choosing beggar.
- probably something like this
  
  And, how much did OP donate to wikimedia foundation last year?