noun
Common
spam
SPAM
Spam (noun) means Unwanted, unsolicited messages sent in bulk, especially by email. Example: “Most of the emails in my junk folder are just spam about cheap watches.”
noun
1
Unwanted, unsolicited messages sent in bulk, especially by email.
"Most of the emails in my junk folder are just spam about cheap watches."
"Her inbox was flooded with spam offering fake prizes."
"The filter caught most of the spam before it reached him."
verb
1
To send the same message repeatedly or to flood someone with unwanted messages.
"Someone kept spamming our group chat with the same silly link all night."
"Please do not spam the forum with the same question again and again."
"The bot spammed the comment section with adverts."
How to use spam
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishJunk messages sent to lots of people at once, or the act of flooding someone with them.
Common pairings
spam filter
spam folder
spam email
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- spams
- Past tense
- spammed
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Most of the emails in my junk folder are just _____ about cheap watches.
Etymology
Originally a trademarked canned meat brand; the internet sense comes from a 1970s Monty Python sketch where "Spam" is chanted repeatedly and annoyingly, which stuck as slang for unwanted repetitive messages online.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for spam
See all rhymes for spam →Frequently asked questions
What does “spam” mean?
The word “spam” means unwanted, unsolicited messages sent in bulk, especially by email. In plain terms, junk messages sent to lots of people at once, or the act of flooding someone with them.
How do you pronounce “spam”?
“Spam” is pronounced SPAM (/ˈspæm/ in IPA).
How do you use “spam” in a sentence?
Here is “spam” used in a sentence: “Her inbox was flooded with spam offering fake prizes.”
What part of speech is “spam”?
Depending on how it is used, “spam” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “spam” come from?
The word “spam” dates back to around 1970. Originally a trademarked canned meat brand; the internet sense comes from a 1970s Monty Python sketch where "Spam" is chanted repeatedly and annoyingly, which stuck as slang for unwanted repetitive messages online.
Is “spam” a common word?
“Spam” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “spam” have?
“Spam” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: unwanted, unsolicited messages sent in bulk, especially by email.
What is the difference between spam and phishing?
Spam is any unwanted, unsolicited message sent in bulk, especially by email, and much of it is simply advertising. Phishing is a malicious message designed to trick you into revealing passwords, card details, or other personal data, often by imitating a trusted sender. Phishing usually arrives as spam, but not all spam is phishing.
Are spam and junk mail the same thing?
Essentially yes — both mean unwanted, unsolicited messages. "Junk mail" traditionally covered unsolicited paper advertising delivered by post, while "spam" grew up around bulk electronic messages, especially email. Email providers use the words interchangeably: the "junk" folder and the "spam" folder do the same job.
Can "spam" be used as a verb?
Yes. To "spam" someone means to send the same message repeatedly or to flood them with unwanted messages: "stop spamming the group chat." It conjugates regularly — spams, spammed, spamming — and applies to email, texts, comments, and in-game chat alike.
Why is unwanted email called "spam"?
The computing sense is generally traced to a Monty Python comedy sketch in which the word "Spam" — the canned-meat brand — is repeated relentlessly. Early internet users borrowed it for messages posted over and over in bulk, and it became the standard name for unsolicited electronic messaging.
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