mailbox

noun

mail·​box ˈmāl-ˌbäks How to pronounce mailbox (audio)
1
: a box at or near a dwelling for the occupant's mail
2
: a public box for deposit of outgoing mail
3
: a computer file in which email is collected

Examples of mailbox in a Sentence

On the way to work, I dropped my letters in the corner mailbox. She checked her mailbox daily, hoping for a letter from her son.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Marvin Ciporen, an 82-year-old Park Slope resident, was surprised by the letter in his mailbox last week. — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 That outside spending has helped flood mailboxes and the airwaves with advertisements. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 These should arrive in mailboxes between August 17 and September 15. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 27 July 2026 The next week will see the Larson and Bronin stripping the bark off each other on the air and in mailboxes. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mailbox

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mailbox was in 1868

Rhymes for mailbox

See All Rhymes for mailbox

Browse Nearby Words

mailbag
mailbox
mail carrier
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mailbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mailbox. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mailbox

noun
mail·​box ˈmā(ə)l-ˌbäks How to pronounce mailbox (audio)
1
: a public box in which to place outgoing mail
2
: a private box (as on a house) for the delivery of incoming mail
3
: a computer file in which email is collected

More from Merriam-Webster on mailbox

Nglish: Translation of mailbox for Spanish Speakers

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