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
At this rate, the big-budget sequel will end its box office run as the lowest-grossing MCU movie in history — by a landslide.
—
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 Nov. 2023
At the awards box office, Focus Features’ The Holdovers looks to come in No. 7 with five-day holiday earnings in the $4 million range.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2023
Her first major hit at the global box office was in 1993’s The Good Son, which also starred Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood.
—Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
Sideways, with a domestic box office of $71 million, doesn’t seem to be under any threat as Giamatti’s No. 1 movie of all time.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2023
Amid the endless fretting over dwindling box office — due in large part, and with great irony, to Netflix — the increasingly homogenized theatrical experience and the slow extinction of bricks-and-mortar everything, the dual resurrections offers hope for us all.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023
Losing that first casual crowd is the difference between an apparent flop and box office domination.
—David Betancourt, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
The movie generated $626 million at the domestic box office and has surpassed $1 billion globally.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 14 Nov. 2023
Friday’s release of The Marvels shows that the weight placed on Feige’s shoulders is starting to exact its price—from Marvel’s box office returns.
—Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2023
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Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 Nov. 2023
At the awards box office, Focus Features’ The Holdovers looks to come in No. 7 with five-day holiday earnings in the $4 million range.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2023
Her first major hit at the global box office was in 1993’s The Good Son, which also starred Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood.
—Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
Sideways, with a domestic box office of $71 million, doesn’t seem to be under any threat as Giamatti’s No. 1 movie of all time.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2023
Amid the endless fretting over dwindling box office — due in large part, and with great irony, to Netflix — the increasingly homogenized theatrical experience and the slow extinction of bricks-and-mortar everything, the dual resurrections offers hope for us all.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023
Losing that first casual crowd is the difference between an apparent flop and box office domination.
—David Betancourt, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
The movie generated $626 million at the domestic box office and has surpassed $1 billion globally.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 14 Nov. 2023
Friday’s release of The Marvels shows that the weight placed on Feige’s shoulders is starting to exact its price—from Marvel’s box office returns.
—Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'box office.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near box office
Cite this Entry
“Box office.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/box%20office. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
box office
noun
: an office in a public place (as a theater or stadium) where admission tickets are sold
More from Merriam-Webster on box office
Nglish: Translation of box office for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of box office for Arabic Speakers
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