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

Industry insiders project that figure may reach around 1,000 by end of 2027 – a modest target against a local box office that is running some 41% below year-ago levels, raising questions about exhibitors’ appetite for significant capital expenditure. —Marcus Lim, Variety, 15 June 2026

The opening weekend totals beat box office analysts’ expectations of about $40 million to $50 million. —Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026

His return to aliens after 12 years (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the last Spielberg film to feature the creatures, though 2005's War of the Worlds was the last to center on them) also marked his best box office premiere in nearly a decade. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 14 June 2026

The movie debuted to a massive $97 million at the domestic box office in April, setting a new record for biggest opening weekend for a musical biopic of all time. —Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 14 June 2026

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