robocall

noun

ro·​bo·​call ˈrō-bō-ˌkȯl How to pronounce robocall (audio)
: a telephone call from an automated source that delivers a prerecorded message to a large number of people
robocall transitive verb
robocalled; robocalling; robocalls
Poor small-town America. During the last gasps of this fevered election, pollsters, zealous campaign foot soldiers and reporters are kicking down its doors, figuratively speaking, robocalling its citizens during suppertime … Doug Colligan
robocaller noun
plural robocallers
Now the only people who use the telephone are campaign robocallers and the phone company, dunning me to switch to their new wireless plan. Richard Brookhiser
robocalling noun
Business organizations have warned that legislative action against robocalling that defines the practice too broadly could prevent legitimate businesses from efficiently reaching their customers with relevant information. Colin A. Young

Examples of robocall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the first five months of the year, robocalls have gone up 11% when compared to the same period in 2024, the company’s latest analysis found. Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 20 June 2025 In one such case in New Hampshire in January 2024, a robocall with a voice sounding like President Joe Biden appeared to tell voters to skip the state’s primary election. Scott Thuman, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2025 The telco that transmitted the spoofed robocalls also agreed to pay a $1 million civil penalty for not authenticating the caller as required by FCC rules. ArsTechnica, 15 May 2025 That approach has helped reduce robocalls and identify bad actors. James Garvert, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for robocall

Word History

Etymology

robot + -o- + call entry 2

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of robocall was in 1993

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Robocall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robocall. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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