text message

noun

: a short message sent electronically usually from one cell phone to another

Examples of text message in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rouse said Zajko had become estranged from her parents, but her mother reached out via text message to resolve the conflict on New Year's Eve 2022, Zajko's birthday. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 June 2026 Receive a code sent by SMS text message or email (or both) before the presale begins. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 24 June 2026 Haley Williams, a spokesperson for the police department, told the Idaho Statesman in a text message that officers are searching the area for the driver of the vehicle who fled the scene. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 23 June 2026 Officials note that if cell service is too weak for a phone call, a text message to dispatch may still go through. Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for text message

Word History

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of text message was in 1993

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Text message.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/text%20message. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

text message

noun
: a short message sent electronically usually from one cell phone to another
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