telegram

1 of 2

noun

tele·​gram ˈte-lə-ˌgram 

Southern also -grəm

: a telegraphic dispatch

telegram

2 of 2

verb

tele·​gram ˈte-lə-ˌgram 

telegrammed; telegramming

transitive verb

: telegraph

Examples of telegram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This particular drama began on May 23, 1912, when a telegram arrived on the desk of one Walter Burley Griffin in Chicago. — Natalie Hoberman, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026

In April Hood County Commissioner Nannette Samuelson accused Coffman and other officials of misleading the public about plans for a power plant and data center, according to previous Star-telegram reporting. — Mary Ella Hastings july 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026

One morning this past spring, Bielawski delivered a singing telegram to a woman getting off the graveyard shift at a Waffle House. — Bob Herman, STAT, 7 July 2026

The president addressed this firing with members of his Cabinet, and made his rationale known in letters and telegrams to key leaders in Congress. — William H. McRaven, The Atlantic, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1852, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1860, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for telegram

• abraham
• anagram
• cablegram
• cofferdam
• dendrogram
• diagram
• diaphragm
• epigram
• hexagram
• histogram
• hologram
• instagram

Kids Definition

telegram

noun

tele·​gram

ˈtel-ə-ˌgram

Southern also -grəm

: a message sent by telegraph