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

But the script that eventually landed in Kreiz’s inbox ultimately painted Mattel—and Kreiz himself—in a decidedly unflattering light. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Requirement updates, redlined LOIs, post-tour notes stay in the inbox, which quietly becomes the firm’s Rolodex, database and institutional memory all at once. — Wesley D. Snow, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

If you’re not subscribed to the newsletter, head here to sign up, and check your inbox each week for the latest Windows updates from me. — Chris Hoffman, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026

Sign up to get expert tips on the best of Southern California's beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains in your inbox every Thursday. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 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