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push notification

American  
[poosh noh-tuh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˈpʊʃ ˌnoʊ tə fɪˌkeɪ ʃən /
Sometimes push alert

noun

  1. Digital Technology. a message or alert that appears on the screen of an electronic device to inform the user of something even when the user is not interacting with the application or software that produced the message.


Etymology

Origin of push notification

First recorded in 1995–2000

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:

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

Investors get a push notification every time the agent makes a trade and can see a real-time activity feed in the Robinhood app.

From The Wall Street Journal May 27, 2026

Reuters reported that a push notification was sent to users just as the bombs began to hit saying "help has arrived".

From BBC Mar. 11, 2026

Trust me, it’s only a matter of time until a single push notification sends my phone flying against a wall and me to the Apple store with my tail between my legs.

From Salon Mar. 15, 2025

And how can I expect my daughter not to be similarly powerless in the face of a push notification?

From Slate Nov. 16, 2024

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