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answering service

noun

: a commercial service that answers telephone calls for its clients

Examples of answering service in a Sentence

The doctor is not in the office now, but you can reach her answering service at this number if you have an emergency.
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.
After her romance author character Carol caused Zosia (Karolina Wydra) to have a heart attack while drugging her in attempt to extract information on how to defeat the Others, the hive deserts her in Albuquerque with nothing but the answering service to help her. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025 Zuckerman is a celebrity who needs an answering service and an armed limo driver. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025 Americans annoyed by the service economy of the Carter and Reagan years yelled at answering services. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024 An answering service for patients who call when the office isn’t open. Darin Oswald, Idaho Statesman, 11 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for answering service

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of answering service was in 1952

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Answering service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/answering%20service. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

answering service

noun
: a commercial service that answers telephone calls for its clients
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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