voicemail

noun

voice·​mail ˈvȯis-ˌmāl 

variants or less commonly voice mail or voice-mail

plural voicemails also voice mails or voice-mails

1

: an electronic communication system in which spoken messages are recorded or digitized and stored for later playback by the intended recipient

left a message on the company's voicemail

let the call go to voicemail

I tried calling him twice but I only got his voicemail.

Most vehicles are equipped with hands-free technology for cellphones. However, hands-free does not mean distraction-free. Silence the unit while driving or set up an auto-response that sends calls directly to voicemail.

—Kevin Martin

a voice-mail system

voice-mail messages

2

a

: messages received through a voicemail system

checking her voicemail

b

: a voicemail message

listening to a voicemail

Examples of voicemail in a Sentence

Just leave a message on my voice mail.

I left her a voice mail.

You have two new voice mails.

Recent Examples on the Web

Authorities say the man contacted Katie Miller at least 40 times over the course of several weeks, sometimes leaving disturbing voicemails and text messages about her and her husband, Stephen Miller, who serves as White House deputy chief of staff. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

In voicemails played in court, they were alarmed by not hearing from Machado and her daughters, Julia and Daniela. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026

When emergency dispatch at Zion National Park tried to contact him again, his phone rang but then went to voicemail. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026

Winn, Brownlee Paige and Penn-Hicks did not return voicemails from The Star. — Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for voicemail

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale

Kids Definition

voice mail

noun

: an electronic communication system in which spoken messages are recorded for later playback to the intended recipient

also : such a message