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

Released globally, the film was well-received by critics and fans and earned strong box office numbers for a music doc. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Rachael Holder, whose feature directorial debut Love, Brooklyn is making a splash at the indie box office, has signed with ColorCreative for management. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025

At the domestic box office, Last Rites made $83 million and stood out as the top movie of the weekend, per Box Office Mojo. —Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

The studio just made box office history as the first to ever have seven consecutive films open above $40 million. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025

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