telegraph

noun

tele·graph | \ˈte-lə-ˌgraf

Definition of telegraph

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an apparatus for communication at a distance by coded signals especially : an apparatus, system, or process for communication at a distance by electric transmission over wire

2 : telegram

telegraph

verb

telegraphed; telegraphing; telegraphs

Definition of telegraph (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to send or communicate by or as if by telegraph

b : to send a telegram to

c : to send by means of a telegraphic order

2 : to make known by signs especially unknowingly and in advance

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Examples of telegraph in a Sentence

Noun

I sent the message by telegraph.

Verb

He telegraphed a message to her. Please telegraph when you get there. Please telegraph me when you get there. The look on her face telegraphed bad news. He lost the boxing match because he was telegraphing his punches.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The colonial powers had strong telegraph systems all over the world, in India, China, Africa, North America. — Fox News, "What threats face America's electrical grid?," 23 Apr. 2018 Jay Gould duked it out for control of Western Union and the nation’s telegraph system. — Jeremy C. Young, Houston Chronicle, "Why a boycott of Facebook is a bad idea," 1 Apr. 2018 The Old City condo was first a telegraph office in the 19th century, then a textile factory and an insurance office, before undergoing renovations in the early 2000s to convert the building to residences. — Shannon Rooney, Philly.com, "On the market: Old City condo in former textile factory for $545,000," 12 July 2018 Carnegie began his ascent as a teenage messenger boy in a telegraph office. — Jonathan Schifman, Popular Mechanics, "The Entire History of Steel," 9 July 2018 Another blast from the past is a working telegraph that taps out Morse code messages from freight trains. — Mayra Cruz, Houston Chronicle, "Tomball to unveil model railroads that depict its history," 7 July 2018 Early the next morning, the Chicora left Milwaukee to return home, departing about 10 minutes before a messenger boy arrived at the dock with an urgent telegraph. — Ann Zaniewski, Detroit Free Press, "8 undiscovered shipwrecks of the Great Lakes," 22 June 2018 Meanwhile, vehicles that still offer stick shifts telegraph an image of high performance, toughness, nostalgia and fun—all factors that can seduce new customers. — Jonathan Welsh, WSJ, "Yes, Cars Still Come With Stick—Here Are a Few New Favorites," 24 May 2018 Smoky gained fame during World War II by dragging a telegraph wire through a 70-foot pipe that was crucial to the Allies’ reconnaissance efforts against the Japanese. — Grant Suneson And John Harrington, USA TODAY, "The 25 most heroic dogs in America," 5 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

That evacuation likely occurred soon after Trump telegraphed the coming military punch with a tweet this week that alluded to striking inside Syria. — NBC News, "Trump's U.S.-led airstrike on Syria won't stop Assad's chemical capabilities, experts say," 14 Apr. 2018 The left’s strategy, as telegraphed to reporters like Hensley-Clancy, is to drive Democrats away from liberal reform by treating it as identical to the conservative agenda. — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Obama’s Education Legacy Has Been Forgotten. Now He Has to Save It.," 27 Feb. 2018 About which, again, one need know nothing to thoroughly enjoy this play; as noted above, the actors’ movement also serves the less heady but nevertheless vital purpose of telegraphing transitions from one vignette to the next. — Mike Fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "'Constellations' offers a multiverse of choices," 15 Jan. 2018 Migration trends have continued even as administrations have sought to telegraph crackdowns at the border. — Tal Kopan, CNN, "Fact checking the Trump administration on immigration," 29 May 2018 By telegraphing American intentions in Syria before war planning is even complete, Mr. Trump runs the risk that international coalition support for strikes may flag, or that the operation doesn’t take place at all. — Gordon Lubold And Nancy A. Youssef, WSJ, "Trump Tweets Raise Questions About Military Planning," 12 Apr. 2018 Taylor began the Showcase set by telegraphing a few pitches at the piano, as if scoping out the sonic response of the instrument and the reverberation of the room. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "Celebrating the music of piano giant Willie Pickens," 10 Apr. 2018 In related news, the Kings may have hurt their own chances at shopping their pick with the way their situation was telegraphed to the rest of the league. — Jeremy Woo, SI.com, "Explaining the Biggest Surprises of the 2018 NBA Draft," 22 June 2018 Lawmakers had been telegraphing that last week’s committee interview with former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was likely to be the last of dozens conducted since the committee launched its Russia probe last March. — Mike Memoli, NBC News, "House Republicans say investigation found no evidence of Russia-Trump collusion," 12 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'telegraph.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.