spam

1 of 3

noun

ˈspam 

: unsolicited usually commercial messages (such as emails, text messages, or Internet postings) sent to a large number of recipients or posted in a large number of places

spam

2 of 3

verb

spammed; spamming

transitive verb

: to send or post spam to

spammed customers with discount offers

spamming a message board

intransitive verb

: to send or post spam

The company was accused of spamming via text messages.

spammer noun

Spam

3 of 3

trademark

—used for a canned meat product

Examples of spam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Outlook or Gmail scans emails to filter spam and enable features like predictive reply. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 July 2026

Jonathan Thomas kept deleting text messages from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, assuming the couple's digital wedding invitation was spam. — Bryan West, USA Today, 18 July 2026

Verb

Lockdown Mode protects high-risk users, while iMessage Contact Key Verification and spam message filtering add security. — Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

If your parent uses a Samsung phone, update the phone, turn on Google Messages spam protection, block repeat senders and enable Samsung's spam call protection. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from a skit on the British television series Monty Python's Flying Circus in which chanting of the word Spam overrides the other dialogue

First Known Use

Noun

1990, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1994, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing spam

• anti-spam
• spam filter

Rhymes for spam

• am
• bam
• cham
• clam
• damme
• damn
• dram
• flam
• fram
• gram
• ham
• jam

Kids Definition

spam

1 of 2 noun

ˈspam 

: unsolicited usually commercial email sent to a large number of addresses

spam

2 of 2 verb

: to send spam to

spammer noun