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.
There are the now-traditional scenes in which Carrie learns to consciously control her telekinetic superpowers, previously manifested by accidentally setting off car alarms, opening mailboxes and causing a rain of rocks on her parents’ roof. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 As ballots begin arriving in Yolo County mailboxes, election officials will host a workshop next week to answer voting questions and demonstrate accessible voting equipment. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Property damaged at the site included a Nissan Altima, the mailbox, the carport, the porch and landscaping, court documents say. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026 Threat actors also accessed email and collected authentication and mailbox data, with archive creation and subsequent transfer activity observed. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mailbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mailbox. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

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
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