junk mail

American  

noun

1. unsolicited commercial mail or email.

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junk mail British  

noun

1. untargeted mail advertising goods or services

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junk mail Idioms  

1. Third-class mail, such as unsolicited advertisements and flyers, that is sent indiscriminately. For example, While we were on vacation the front hall filled up with junk mail. [c. 1950]

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Etymology

Origin of junk mail

First recorded in 1950–55

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

junk mail

One academic who immigrated to the United States said junk mail from the retailer helped convince her that she’d really become an American.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

My email inbox is starting to resemble the mailbox at my front door: stuffed full with junk mail and promos, with an important note tucked in here and there.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026

Tags, receipts, ticket stubs, candy wrappers, even junk mail — they’re all gold for a junk journal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025

Kingsley also suggests looking into cutting down on the junk mail she receives—you can read more about that from the Federal Trade Commission.

From Slate ● Apr. 26, 2024

She is unable to stem the tide of junk mail that will continue to arrive for years, addressed to her dead husband.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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