address

verb

ad·dress | \ ə-ˈdres,

a- also ˈa-ˌdres\

addressed; addressing; addresses

Definition of address

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to mark directions for delivery on address a letter

b : to consign to the care of another (such as an agent or factor)

2a : to direct the efforts or attention of (oneself) will address himself to the problem

b : to deal with : treat … intrigued by the chance to address important issues …— I. L. Horowitz

3a : to communicate directly addresses his thanks to his host

b : to speak or write directly to especially : to deliver a formal speech to The president will address the nation by television.

4 : to greet by a prescribed form how to address an archbishop

5 golf : to adjust the club and one's stance preparatory to hitting (the ball)

6 : to identify (something, such as a computer peripheral or memory location) by an address or a name for information transfer

7 archaic

a : direct, aim

b : to direct to go : send

8 archaic : to make ready especially : dress

intransitive verb

obsolete : to direct one's speech or attentions

address

noun

ad·dress | \ ə-ˈdres,

for senses 1, 2, & 3 also ˈa-ˌdres\

Definition of address (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a place where a person or organization may be communicated with asked for her name, address, and phone number

b : directions for delivery on the outside of an object (such as a letter or package) an envelope with an illegible address

c : the designation of place of delivery placed between the heading and salutation on a business letter

d : the designation of an account from which one can send or receive e-mail an e-mail address

2a : a location (as in the memory of a computer) where particular information is stored

b : a series of usually alphanumeric characters that specifies the storage location (as on a network or in a computer's memory) of particular information an Internet address A unique number called an IP address identifies every computer that's connected to the Internet. An IP address looks something like this: 24.62.89.4. Each of the four parts of an IP address can have from one to three digits.— Kim Komando

3 : a formal communication especially : a prepared speech delivered to a special audience or on a special occasion Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

4 : dutiful and courteous attention especially in courtship —usually used in plural She spurned his addresses."Here is a young man wishing to pay his addresses to you, with everything to recommend him."— Jane Austen

5a : readiness and capability for dealing (as with a person or problem) skillfully and smoothly : adroitness

b obsolete : a making ready also : a state of preparedness

6a : manner of bearing oneself a man of rude address

b : manner of speaking or singing : delivery was pleased with the tenor's ease of address

7 golf : the stance of the player and the position of the club preparatory to hitting the ball

Other Words from address Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about address

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Choose the Right Synonym for address

Noun

tact, address, poise, savoir faire mean skill and grace in dealing with others. tact implies delicate and considerate perception of what is appropriate. questions showing a lack of tact address stresses dexterity and grace in dealing with new and trying situations and may imply success in attaining one's ends. brought it off with remarkable address poise may imply both tact and address but stresses self-possession and ease in meeting difficult situations. answered the accusations with unruffled poise savoir faire is likely to stress worldly experience and a sure awareness of what is proper or expedient. the savoir faire of a seasoned traveler

Examples of address in a Sentence

Verb

I've addressed the letter, but it still needs a stamp. The package is sealed; it just needs to be addressed. We spent the afternoon addressing invitations to all our friends. The letter was returned because it had been addressed incorrectly. She ignored most of the people at the table, addressing only the man who was sitting next to her. One of the characters addresses the audience directly throughout the play. Most of the speaker's remarks were addressed to those with experience in the industry. Before the awards were given, the mayor addressed the crowd.

Noun

Write your name, address, and phone number in the spaces provided. We listened to the President's inaugural address on the radio. She was asked to give a formal address at the ceremony.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Lezley McSpadden, the mother of Missouri’s late Michael Brown, who announced her 2019 run for Ferguson city council in August, directly addressed those concerns in an interview at the time. — Lincoln Anthony Blades, Teen Vogue, "Stevante Clark is Running for Mayor of Sacramento," 3 Jan. 2019 Randall tried putting a Band-Aid over the issue and didn't address it, even though Beth has been there for Randall every step of his campaign. — Candice Frederick, Harper's BAZAAR, "This Is Us Just Dropped Two Massive Bombshells," 28 Nov. 2018 The ban aims to address major public health concerns about a generation of young people who are getting hooked on vaping and nicotine. — Rachel Becker, The Verge, "What a ban on e-cigarette flavors could mean for Big Tobacco," 9 Nov. 2018 And while the essays in the forthcoming book seemingly won't address Prince George or any other members of the royal family, they'll certainly be infused with the same sense of humor. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Instagram's Favorite Prince George Meme-maker, Gary Janetti, Is Releasing a Book," 5 Nov. 2018 Privacy experts raised a stink and Google quickly promised to address the concerns. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Chrome 70 fixes Google's controversial sneaky sign-in policy, kind of," 17 Oct. 2018 Color-correcting concealers can also be used to address concerns like redness and hyperpigmentation; green to minimize redness and peach or purple to disguise acne scars or sunspots. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Why Makeup Artists Say You Should Always Use at Least Two Concealers," 4 Oct. 2018 Lawmakers sought to address several concerns of the flying public in the bill. — Kevin Freking, Fox News, "US House approves $1.7 billion in disaster aid for Carolinas," 28 Sep. 2018 In severe cases, an allergic reaction could progress to anaphylaxis if not addressed quickly and early. — Korin Miller, SELF, "4 Signs You Might Be Allergic to Sugar," 24 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

For now, those wanting their own RBG dissent collar can DM @bananarepublic on Instagram with their email address to be added to the wait-list. — Lauren Alexis Fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "Banana Republic Reissues Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Dissent Collar to Benefit the ACLU," 8 Jan. 2019 To use it, enter your email address into the app and then connect it to Apple Music. — Dani Deahl, The Verge, "This app will show you your Apple Music listening habits for 2018," 26 Dec. 2018 This year's message aired on Christmas day at 10 a.m. ET, but the Kensington Royal Instagram account gave fans a sneak peek from her address on Christmas Eve. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Queen Elizabeth II’s Christmas Message Features a Rare Prince Charles Photo," 25 Dec. 2018 The bicycle thief gave his name and an Anchorage return address but Lisa’s family decided not to identify him. — James Freeman, WSJ, "‘A Great Joy’," 21 Dec. 2018 The practice helped prevent the rightful owners from discovering their addresses were being misappropriated. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "How 3ve’s BGP hijackers eluded the Internet—and made $29M," 21 Dec. 2018 After all's done, enter your email address, hit continue, and then choose an optional natural wood, black, or white frame ($60). — Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, "These Star Map Prints Are The Perfect Holiday Gift To Remember A Special Moment," 28 Nov. 2018 Mullvad is owned by Amagicom AB and its business address is Chalmers Teknikpark 412 58 Gothenburg, Sweden. — Ian Paul, PCWorld, "Mullvad 2018 review: A fantastic VPN has a great new look," 17 Oct. 2018 Anonymous letters with no name and no return address are now being treated as national news. — Fox News, "Hannity: Democrats have turned SCOTUS process into a sham," 27 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'address.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for address

Verb

Middle English adressen "to guide, direct, set in order, mark with a destination," borrowed from Anglo-French adrescer, adresser "to make straight, direct, guide," from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + drescer, dresser "to direct, put right" — more at dress entry 1

Noun

in part derivative of address entry 1, in part borrowed from Middle French adresce, adresse, noun derivative of adrescer, adresser

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Dictionary Entries near address

Statistics for address

Last Updated

11 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for address

The first known use of address was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for address

address

verb

English Language Learners Definition of address

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to write on an envelope, package, letter, etc., the name and address of the person or business it is being sent to

: to speak to (a person or group)

: to use a specified name or title when speaking or writing to (someone)

address

noun

English Language Learners Definition of address (Entry 2 of 2)

: the words and numbers that are used to describe the location of a building and that are written on letters, envelopes, and packages so that they can be mailed to that location

: the letters, numbers, and symbols that are used to direct an e-mail message or to show the location of a site on the Internet

: a formal speech

See the full definition for address in the English Language Learners Dictionary

address

verb

ad·dress | \ ə-ˈdres

addressed; addressing

Kids Definition of address

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to put directions for delivery on address a letter

2 : to speak or write to Bleakly, Roy looked up to address the grownups.— Carl Hiaasen, Hoot

3 : to use a specified name or title when speaking or writing to (someone) The children address me as “sir.”

4 : to deal with : give attention to address a problem

address

noun

ad·dress | \ ə-ˈdres,

ˈa-ˌdres\

Kids Definition of address (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the place where a person can usually be reached a business address

2 : the directions for delivery placed on mail

3 : the symbols (as numerals or letters) that identify the location where particular information (as a home page) is stored on a computer especially on the Internet

4 : a formal speech The president will give an address at the ceremony.

5 : the name of a computer account from which e-mail can be sent or received