text messaging

noun

: the sending of short text messages electronically especially from one cell phone to another

Examples of text messaging in a Sentence

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.
This satellite coverage can give you not just this basic text messaging that Apple has been doing through the Globalstar constellation, but a true cellphone-type experience. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026 Instinct, a digital concierge that relies primarily on text messaging instead of an app, launched earlier this year on an invitation-only basis. — Hugh Son, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 Engineers demonstrated text messaging, voice calls, internet access, and video streaming from the stratospheric platform. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026 The latest scam involved scammers using fake job offers through text messaging. — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for text messaging

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of text messaging was in 1980

Rhymes for text messaging

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Browse Nearby Words

text message
text messaging
textual
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Cite this Entry

“Text messaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/text%20messaging. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

text messaging

noun
text mes·​sag·​ing
-ˈmes-i-jiŋ
: the sending of text messages electronically especially from one cell phone to another

More from Merriam-Webster on text messaging

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about text messaging

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