box office

noun

1

a

: an office (as in a theater) where tickets of admission are sold

b

: income from ticket sales (as for a film)

2

: the ability (as of a show) to attract ticket buyers

also : something that enhances that ability

any publicity is good box office

Examples of box office in a Sentence

The box office will open at 10:00 a.m.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nicole Bell Head of Canada, YouTube Bell wasn’t surprised by the breakout box office for the YouTube-to-multiplex directors of Backrooms (Kane Parsons) and Obsession (Curry Barker). — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Still, with the general momentum from the summer, industry analysts expect that 2026 could finally be the year that the domestic box office breaks $10 billion, a milestone that hasn’t been reached since before the pandemic. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

The summer box office was already the biggest since COVID upended the industry in 2020 — and now the season has become the highest-grossing of all time. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026

As the curtain closes on an upbeat summer box office, the team behind The Invite has reason to cheer. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for box office

• interoffice

Kids Definition

box office

noun

: an office in a public place (as a theater or stadium) where admission tickets are sold