address

American  

[uh-dres, ad-res, uh-dres] / əˈdrɛs, ˈæd rɛs, əˈdrɛs /

noun

• addresses
  plural

1. a speech or written statement, usually formal, directed to a particular group of persons.

   the president's address on the state of the economy.

   Synonyms:

   lecture, discourse

2. a direction as to the intended recipient, written on or attached to a piece of mail.

3. the place or the name of the place where a person, organization, or the like is located or may be reached.

   What is your address when you're in Des Moines?

4. manner of speaking to persons; personal bearing in conversation.

5. skillful and expeditious management; ready skill; dispatch.

   to handle a matter with address.

   Synonyms:

   tact, ingenuity, cleverness, adroitness

6. Computers.

   1. a label, as an integer, symbol, or other set of characters, designating a location, register, etc., where information is stored in computer memory.

   2. a set of characters designating an email account.

      Her email address ends in “.net,” not “.com.”

   3. a set of characters designating the location of a website or a particular computer or other device on a network.

      He visits that website so often that its complete address comes up whenever he types its first letter into the address bar.

7. Government. a request to the executive by the legislature to remove a judge for unfitness.

8. Usually addresses. attentions paid by a suitor or lover; courtship.

9. Usually Address. the reply to the king's speech in the English Parliament.

10. Obsolete. preparation.

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verb (used with object)

• addresses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• addressed,
  past participle,  past
• addrest,
  past participle,  past (Archaic)
• addressing
  present participle

1. to direct a speech or written statement to.

   to address an assembly.

2. to use a specified form or title in speaking or writing to.

   Address the president as “Mr. President.”

3. to direct to the attention.

   He addressed his remarks to the lawyers in the audience.

4. to apply in speech (used reflexively, usually followed byto ).

   He addressed himself to the leader.

5. to deal with or discuss.

   to address the issues.

6. to put the directions for delivery on.

   to address a letter.

7. Commerce. to consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.

8. to direct the energy or efforts of (usually followed byto ).

   He addressed himself to the task.

9. Computers. to direct (data) to a specified memory location in a computer.

10. Golf. to take a stance and place the head of the club behind (the ball) preparatory to hitting it.

11. Obsolete. to woo; court.

12. Archaic. to give direction to; aim.

13. Obsolete. to prepare.

verb (used without object)

Obsolete.

• addresses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• addressed,
  past participle,  past
• addrest,
  past participle,  past (Archaic)
• addressing
  present participle

1. to make an appeal.

2. to make preparations.

address British  

/ əˈdrɛs /

noun

1. the conventional form by which the location of a building is described

2. the written form of this, as on a letter or parcel, preceded by the name of the person or organization for whom it is intended

3. the place at which someone lives

4. a speech or written communication, esp one of a formal nature

5. skilfulness or tact

6. archaic manner or style of speaking or conversation

7. computing a number giving the location of a piece of stored information See also direct access

8. government a statement of the opinions or wishes of either or both Houses of Parliament that is sent to the sovereign

9. the alignment or position of a part, component, etc, that permits correct assembly or fitting

10. (usually plural) expressions of affection made by a man in courting a woman

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verb

1. to mark (a letter, parcel, etc) with an address

2. to speak to, refer to in speaking, or deliver a speech to

3. (used reflexively; foll by to)

   1. to speak or write to

      he addressed himself to the chairman

   2. to apply oneself to

      he addressed himself to the task

4. to direct (a message, warning, etc) to the attention of

5. to consign or entrust (a ship or a ship's cargo) to a factor, merchant, etc

6. to adopt a position facing (the ball in golf, a partner in a dance, the target in archery, etc)

7. to treat of; deal with

   chapter 10 addresses the problem of transitivity

8. an archaic word for woo

Synonym Usage

See speech.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• addresser
  noun
• addressor
  noun
• preaddress
  noun
• readdress
  verb (used with object)
• half-addressed
  adjective
• unaddressed
  adjective
• well-addressed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• addresses
  plural

Participles

• addressing
  present
• addressed
  past
• addrest
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• address
  simple
• addresses
  simple
• have addressed
  perfect
• have addrest
  perfect
• has addressed
  perfect
• has addrest
  perfect
• am addressing
  progressive
• are addressing
  progressive
• is addressing
  progressive
• have been addressing
  perfect progressive
• has been addressing
  perfect progressive

Past

• addressed
  simple
• addrest
  simple
• had addressed
  perfect
• had addrest
  perfect
• was addressing
  progressive
• were addressing
  progressive
• had been addressing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will address
  simple
• will have addressed
  perfect
• will have addrest
  perfect
• will be addressing
  progressive
• will have been addressing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of address

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English adressen “to adorn,” from Middle French adresser; see a- ⁵, dress

Explanation

When you are a student and you want to address your teacher, it's generally safer to call her Ms. and not address her by her first name, Esmeralda. Address is a word that's long been associated with correspondence — the street number, city, state, and postal code that must be on the front of any envelope if it's going to arrive at its destination. In the digital age, an address has also come to mean the location where you might e-mail your friend pictures of your dog dressed up in a birthday hat. If you wanted to tell that friend about your dog's birthday party in person, you might address her directly. Address to describe a way of speaking is usually reserved for more formal occasions, such as when the President addresses the nation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

address addresses addressed addrest addressing

The highlight of Rubio's visit is set to be his address from the Pnyx, a hill near the Acropolis that is the parliamentary assembly of ancient Athenian democracy.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

In a video address over the weekend, Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff said: “We will also lend our full support to legislative efforts to change New York’s sexual assault laws.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The UK government said it was working to address disparities while the Welsh government said challenges will be considered in its next national strategy.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

“The association also plans to meet with NFL Players Association leadership to address on-field conduct and the growing levels of confrontation between players and officials.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

We used it every day; it’s how we would locate the address of a locksmith or florist or furniture upholsterer, or any number of the women who volunteered in my mother’s benevolent societies.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

The attacks originated from more than two dozen internet addresses in roughly a dozen countries, including the U.S.,

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

We used our names and news organization email addresses, following each state’s rules for starting private or microschools, a type of private school intended for just a few students.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

"This support addresses the most significant current gap in Ukraine's air defence system. The impact is expected to be rapid and tangible," a source said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

Herman said registrations for .si web addresses in September stood out "very clearly" against the other months in the year, although she was "cautious" about attributing the entire increase to only President Trump's comments.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

Celia sighs, and when she speaks she addresses them both.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Dame Siobhan addressed the issue of road safety, describing it as an "obvious and pressing issue given the number of deaths" on the A5.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

But he also said the AI Act requires developers "to have addressed" safety risks by the time a model reaches the market, noting that recent incidents including with OpenAI agents happened during testing.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

U.S. air-safety regulators had convened an internal panel to decide whether the problem amounted to an unsafe condition that needed to be addressed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Egan-Jones addressed effects on venture capital, pointing out that startups can reach scale faster with less money, so those firms will ultimately lose leverage and see returns compress.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

The old woman had had all the mail addressed to Penelope packed up and forwarded from Plinkst to Ashton Place.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Such was the speech which Solon addrest to Crœsus, a speech which brought him neither largess nor honor.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to prose. Volume I (of X) - Greece by Francis W. (Francis Whiting) Halsey

There M. Bailly presented, and put into his hat the popular cockade, and addrest him.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. IX (of X) - America - I by Henry Cabot Lodge

The memory of that great scene still lingers about the place, and every guide will show you the exact place where the Apostle stood, and in what direction he addrest his audience.

From Seeing Europe with Famous Authors, Volume 8 Italy and Greece, Part Two by Francis W. (Francis Whiting) Halsey

I don’t think the Sea is so familiarly addrest; she is almost too strong-minded, capricious, and terrible a Virago, and—he is wedded to her for better or worse. 

From Two Suffolk Friends by Francis Hindes Groome

More blood was spilt, more honours were addrest, Than could have gracèd any happy feast; Rich banquets, triumphs, every pomp employs100 His sumptuous hand; no miser's nuptial joys.

From The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 3 (of 3) by A. H. (Arthur Henry) Bullen

Alito gave a long interview to CBS News legal correspondent Jan Crawford, addressing a wide range of issues.

From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2026

Priorities: Buelna said his priorities include addressing student affordability, better connecting education to economic opportunity and “removing barriers to access and completion.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Among the critics was Oscar-nominated British actress Florence Pugh, who appealed to men to take a greater role in addressing sexual violence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

While the band refrained from directly addressing their past on stage, the emotional weight of their history peaked during the finale Still Life.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

Ekon exchanged a glance with Koffi, who seemed just as nervous as he was, before addressing the goddess again.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

Related Words

• ZIP code
• home
• location
• number