snail mail

noun

1
informal : mail delivered by a postal system especially when contrasted with email : mail sense 1a
I avoid using e-mail to complain. I use the phone or old-fashioned snail mail.Arlene Silverman
2
informal : a nation's postal system : mail sense 2
The others have taken the traditional route: sending checks by snail mail.Stephen Gandel

Examples of snail mail in a Sentence

She still uses snail mail for paying bills. I can be contacted by e-mail and snail mail.
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.
The action sports denizens would then snail mail the tapes to the agency. Daniel Kaplan, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2025 Be wary of mailbox communications Bad actors may also try to scam you through snail mail. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025 While the typical enrollment process requires users to send materials online or via snail mail—then wait upwards of 45 days for a decision—Fortuna completes it in under a minute thanks to its AI models that flag common errors like missing pay stubs on employment verification forms. Alexandra Meier, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025 That crowd doesn’t go in for snail mail — although Gary the Snail might. Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for snail mail

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of snail mail was in 1982

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Cite this Entry

“Snail mail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snail%20mail. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

snail mail

noun
informal
1
: mail delivered by a postal system
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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