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

His voicemail and other material from inside Endo, including emails, became public court records in lawsuits filed against the company. —Bob Fernandez, ProPublica, 17 Dec. 2024

Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at [e-mail]. —Malaka Gharib, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024

Kristin Chenoweth actually does the two voicemails of my mom in the movie. —Laura Bradley, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024

Newsweek reached out to McColl's council early on Monday, leaving a voicemail seeking further information and comment. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024

All About Nikki and Brie Garcia's WWE Rise and Life After Wrestling Brie spent the episode listening to voicemails left by fans of her and her sister, including one that reflected on a fan's own experience with abuse, which Brie connected to Nikki. —Julia Moore, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024

Beyond voicemail, many tools do not required face-to-face communication, such as emails, faxes, text messages, carrier pigeons, etc. —Phil Kirschner, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024

Leave a voicemail or text your question to the Until Saturday phone: [phone]. —Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024

Police soon learned that hours earlier, Zahau had checked her voicemail, on which was a message about the grave condition of Shacknai’s 6-year-old son Max, who was in the hospital after falling down a staircase in his father’s 27-bedroom historic mansion. —Christine Pelisek, People.com, 23 Nov. 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