inbox

noun

in·​box ˈin-ˌbäks 

variants or in-box

plural inboxes or in-boxes

1

: a box or tray (as on a desk) for holding incoming interoffice mail

2

: a computer folder devoted to incoming email

One of my favorite rituals soon became scanning our email inbox, looking for your photographs … and reading the letters you sent …

—Amy Virshup

Examples of inbox in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This Week Our editors’ top picks, delivered free to your inbox every Friday. — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026

Sign up for The Weekly Lineup, our free fantasy newsletter packed with analysis, advice and the latest player news delivered straight to your inbox. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026

Using ChatGPT or Claude today for tasks such as analyzing legal documents or going through your email inbox means sharing sensitive data with the company servers. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026

The CharlotteFive newsletter lands in your inbox every day with the best food, things to do and lifestyle news across the Queen City — no endless scrolling required. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

in-box

noun

ˈin-ˌbäks 

: a receptacle for incoming letters between offices in an organization

also : a computer folder for incoming email