voicemail

noun

voice·​mail ˈvȯis-ˌmāl 

variants or less commonly voice mail or voice-mail

plural voicemails also voice mails or voice-mails

1

: an electronic communication system in which spoken messages are recorded or digitized and stored for later playback by the intended recipient

left a message on the company's voicemail

let the call go to voicemail

I tried calling him twice but I only got his voicemail.

Most vehicles are equipped with hands-free technology for cellphones. However, hands-free does not mean distraction-free. Silence the unit while driving or set up an auto-response that sends calls directly to voicemail.

—Kevin Martin

a voice-mail system

voice-mail messages

2

a

: messages received through a voicemail system

checking her voicemail

b

: a voicemail message

listening to a voicemail

Examples of voicemail in a Sentence

Just leave a message on my voice mail.

I left her a voice mail.

You have two new voice mails.

Recent Examples on the Web

And when callers were automatically prompted to leave a voicemail, those messages were rarely returned: Of the 38 messages left by researchers across nine counties, six received a return call in a total of three counties. —Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2024

Tribal officials worry about accidents After Nygren deployed police, Energy Fuels left a voicemail for Stephen Etcitty, the director of the Navajo Environmental Protection Agency, about a meeting scheduled to develop transportation plans for the uranium ore through the Navajo Nation. —Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2024

The Enquirer on Monday afternoon left a voicemail with the Raleighs' attorney, Merlyn Shiverdecker, and is awaiting a response. —Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 15 July 2024

Prince Harry first filed a lawsuit against MGN in 2019, alleging that his phone voicemails were hacked using unlawful information gathering. —Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 26 July 2024

Justice Fancourt ruled that 15 stories published about Prince Harry by MGN used unlawful information gathering methods such as hacking of voicemail messages and the use of private investigators. —Maija Ehlinger, CNN, 25 July 2024

The song ends with a voicemail message from Malverde playfully begging Díaz to get back in the studio by whatever means necessary. —Rosy Alvarez, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2024

West Haven Police Chief Joseph Perno has not responded to multiple voicemail messages seeking comment. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2024

The Republican National Convention did not immediately respond to emails and a voicemail with questions Wednesday about how the park was being used. —Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 18 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

voice mail

noun

: an electronic communication system in which spoken messages are recorded for later playback to the intended recipient

also : such a message