robocall

noun

ro·​bo·​call ˈrō-bō-ˌkȯl 

: 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

In August, a coalition of state prosecutors also sent warning letters to SK Teleco and 36 other voice providers that were found facilitating robocalls. —PC Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025

His only concern is being awoken by robocalls and scam calls. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2025

The robocall, using Biden’s voice, urged voters to hold off on voting in the New Hampshire primary and instead vote in November. —Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 27 Nov. 2025

As in March, when a Democrat upset the GOP in a state Senate race, Shapiro recorded an eleventh-hour robocall for the judges. —David Weigel, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

robot + -o- + call entry 2

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for robocall

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol