inbox
Americannoun
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inboxes
plural
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a boxlike tray, basket, or the like, as on a desk, for holding incoming mail, messages, or work.
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Computers. a folder for receiving and storing incoming emails or text messages.
noun
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(on a computer) a folder in a mailbox in which incoming messages are stored and displayed
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a US and Canadian name for in-tray
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of inbox
First recorded in 1955–60; in ( def. ) + box 1 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Using ChatGPT or Claude today for tasks such as analyzing legal documents or going through your email inbox means sharing sensitive data with the company servers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
My inbox recently has been full of enthusiastic, and occasionally menacing, fans, wondering why I hadn’t tested Garmin, their favorite wrist-computer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Hey everyone, I’m Genna Contino and I’m officially taking the driver’s seat at Don’t Short Yourself as lead writer, where I’ll be delivering smart, actionable tips to your inbox.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
Subscribe here to have it sent straight to your inbox.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
While they were figuring out how to respond, another email popped into their inbox.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
Before logging in, passengers also needed a password reset email, but many reported long delays before this appeared in inboxes.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Email notifications for time slots in the second drop that begins Aug. 10 and lasts until Aug. 20 will hit inboxes between Aug. 6-7.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
We’ll be back in your inboxes on Monday night.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
The agents are capable of generating hundreds of reports a day, Pompliano added—but the company will start by circulating just a few daily to avoid flooding investors’ inboxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
In an era when inboxes are already flooded with AI-generated pitches, automated outreach risks becoming invisible — or worse, unwelcome.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
