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.
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From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
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From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
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From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
The agent was also able to gather everything I needed for Global Entry applications from my calendar and inbox, including five years of international travel history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Dad makes a grab for it, but I swipe it out of his reach and tap into my inbox.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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
Lumutenga shares a hack for cutting back on the promotions flooding our inboxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
LA28 sold 4 million tickets in its first drop in April, and time slot notifications hit inboxes Wednesday and Thursday for Drop 2, which lasts from Aug. 10-20.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 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
We’ll be back in your inboxes on Monday night.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
