tele·graph
ˈte-lə-ˌgraf 
1
: an apparatus for communication at a distance by coded signals
especially
: an apparatus, system, or process for communication at a distance by electric transmission over wire
2
: telegram
telegraphed; telegraphing; telegraphs
1
a
: to send or communicate by or as if by telegraph
b
: to send a telegram to
c
: to send by means of a telegraphic order
2
: to make known by signs especially unknowingly and in advance
Examples of telegraph in a Sentence
Noun
I sent the message by telegraph.
Verb
He telegraphed a message to her.
Please telegraph when you get there.
Please telegraph me when you get there.
The look on her face telegraphed bad news.
He lost the boxing match because he was telegraphing his punches.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2025
New Jersey’s historic Camp Evans was trashed by vandals who police say broke 17 windows and damaged a garage at the former wireless telegraph station that played a pivotal role during World War II.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
A day earlier, at the event with Indiana Democrats at Marquette Park on Chicago’s South Side, Texas state Rep. Gene Wu of Houston, who leads the Democratic caucus in his chamber, also telegraphed how his members intended to claim victory, regardless of whether their state adopts the GOP map.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for telegraph
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Noun
Other states followed suit, and by the mid-80s, crank-phone technology had gone the way of the telegraph machine.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2025
New Jersey’s historic Camp Evans was trashed by vandals who police say broke 17 windows and damaged a garage at the former wireless telegraph station that played a pivotal role during World War II.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
Verb
Chairman Jerome Powell telegraphed resuming the Fed’s interest rate cutting campaign from pre-election meetings last Fall (a 50 basis points cut could find some legs too).
—Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
A day earlier, at the event with Indiana Democrats at Marquette Park on Chicago’s South Side, Texas state Rep. Gene Wu of Houston, who leads the Democratic caucus in his chamber, also telegraphed how his members intended to claim victory, regardless of whether their state adopts the GOP map.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for telegraph
Cite this Entry
“Telegraph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telegraph. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
telegraph
1 of 2 noun
tele·graph
ˈtel-ə-ˌgraf
: an electric device or system for sending messages by a code over wires
telegraphic
adjective
ˌtel-ə-ˈgraf-ik
telegraphically
adverb
-ˈgraf-i-k(ə-)lē
telegraph
2 of 2 verb1
: to send by or as if by telegraph
telegraphed a message
2
: to send a telegram to
telegraphed home for money
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