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

Hollywood’s hold on the global box office may be starting to change. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025

Kokuho, which stars Ken Watanabe, has grossed $107m at the Japanese box office after premiering in Cannes. —Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025

With box office revenues 20% behind COVID times, no movie theater is positioned to turn down a crowd-pleaser. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025

If that happens, the movie will surely get a second chance at box office life. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 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