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Synonyms

notification

American  
[noh-tuh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˌnoʊ tə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

notifications plural
  1. an act or instance of notifying or informing someone of something; notice.

    Lawyers have a duty of notification in cases where a document is accidentally sent to them.

    Authors submitting work must expect to wait up to three months before notification of acceptance.

    The policy requires prompt notification of the insurer in case of an accident.

  2. a written or printed notice, announcement, or warning.

    Notifications were mailed to the winners.

  3. Digital Technology. a programmed message or alert sent on an electronic device to inform the user of something.


notification British  
/ ˌnəʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act of notifying

  2. a formal announcement

  3. something that notifies; a notice

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of notification

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English notificacioun, from Medieval Latin nōtificātiōn-, stem of nōtificātiō, from nōtificāt(us) “made known” (past participle of nōtificāre “to make known”; see notify) + -iō -ion

Explanation

A notification is a formal notice, request, or warning. You might get a notification from your landlord that you need to shovel the snow on your sidewalk, or a notification from your school that you've won an award. Some notifications arrive in the form of a letter in your mailbox, while others are verbal (you might get a phone call that's a notification that your cat is due for a shot at the vet), and many more are sent as emails or other electronic messages. The Latin source is notificare , "to make known," which comes from the roots notus, "known," and facere, "make."

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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.

That text or push notification from an airline saying something along the lines of, “Your flight has been canceled. Here’s your new itinerary,” can upend your entire trip.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026

The victims’ identities are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

But the novelty wore off slightly after the 17th such notification.

From Slate • Jun. 20, 2026

"You get an email notification saying you've got relatives, essentially. It's literally like Tinder, it says you've matched - here are your half sisters."

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

At that moment, his phone vibrated and his screen filled with one notification right after another.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

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