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:
But rest assured, we’ll be back in your inbox with more wild happenings on Monday.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
Click here to have the full report sent to your inbox when it goes live.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
"My inbox went ping ping ping ping ping, so God knows what his was like," he added.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
When I connected my inbox and calendar, my little Terminator found unpaid bills and suggested a recipe based on an incoming produce delivery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
It cost a fortune, I know, because I saw the booking receipt for the flight and the room in his email inbox.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
The memo arrives in employees’ inboxes with unsettling news but few specifics: Layoffs are coming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
Asymmetric's report found, however, that the agents opened private accounts on a website analytics service, which concealed their searches, and created temporary email inboxes, one of which was set to self-delete after 48 hours.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The admin emails to which Microsoft sent those notifications tend to get slammed with junk from spammers, leading software developers to recommend ignoring those inboxes altogether.
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
He had hardly stepped on to the stage to address an event in London about his Invictus Games when the news started hitting inboxes on phones around the room.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Altadena residents have flooded the inboxes and voicemails of state and local lawmakers, hoping the bill passes its first hurdle Wednesday when it’s up for a vote by two committees.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
