message

1 of 2

noun

mes·​sage ˈme-sij 

1

: a communication in writing, in speech, or by signals

Please take this message for me to my friend.

2

: a messenger's mission

The girl will go on a message to the shop.

—Cahir Healy

3

: an underlying theme or idea

The message is that it is time to change.

—The Economist

4

: an official position (as of a political party)

Their candidate's speech was on/off message. [=included things that did/did not conform to the party's official position]

see also get the message

message

2 of 2

verb

messaged; messaging

transitive verb

1

: to send as a message or by messenger

2

: to send a message to

intransitive verb

: to communicate by message

Synonyms of message

Noun

• dispatch
• letter
• communication
• report

Examples of message in a Sentence

Noun

Did you get my message?

She has received messages of support from hundreds of people.

I left a message on her answering machine.

He's not here right now. Can I take a message?

I liked the story but I didn't really agree with the book's message.

He believed in the church's message of forgiveness.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Those messages, the defense claims, were immediately shared with County Attorney Jeffrey Gray and other members of the prosecution team before any conflict review or ethical screening was put in place. —Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025

Residents living near the river say the message was heard. —Nina Burns, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025

Verb

Danylo Antoniuk / Anadolu via Getty Images The bombardment demonstrated Russian President Vladimir Putin's intention of pursuing the invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. —CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025

Many people messaged me privately to express real concern. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin missaticum, from Latin missus, past participle of mittere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing message

• error message
• message board
• off message
• on message
• short message service
• text message

Rhymes for message

• presage
• expressage

Kids Definition

message

noun

mes·​sage

ˈmes-ij

1

: a communication in writing, in speech, or by signals

2

: a messenger's errand or function

3

: an underlying theme or idea

Etymology

Noun

Middle English message "job or function of a messenger," from early French message (same meaning), from Latin missaticum "something given to a messenger to deliver," from earlier missus (past participle of mittere "to send, throw") and -aticum "action, result" — related to emit, mission, promise, submissive