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.
Invoices must be collected from the AP mailbox, separated from supporting documents, matched to purchase orders, checked for taxes and charges, assigned the correct payment terms and routed for approval. — Eranda Maldeniya, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 While the books are free to families, getting them into mailboxes is not. — Tori Mason, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026 Little is more magical than opening the mailbox and seeing the handwriting of a loved one. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Even the Johnston home’s brass door handles and the front porch mailbox are original. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 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 4 Sep. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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