telegram

1 of 2

noun

tele·​gram ˈte-lə-ˌgram How to pronounce telegram (audio)
 Southern also  -grəm
: a telegraphic dispatch

telegram

2 of 2

verb

tele·​gram ˈte-lə-ˌgram How to pronounce telegram (audio)
telegrammed; telegramming

Examples of telegram in a Sentence

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.
Noun
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted to their telegram channel Saturday that the talks ended after two and a half hours. Somayeh Malekian, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2025 Wilson allegedly said when shown a copy of the telegram. Timothy W. Ryback, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025 Francis made the comments during an appearance at an evening talk show, and then followed up Monday with an official telegram of congratulations to Trump on the day of his inauguration. Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025 Consider the evolution of communication technology—letters and telegrams gave way to faxes and email, SMS and iMessage pushed the envelope, and global platforms like WhatsApp and WeChat have since changed the game even further. Uriel Maslansky, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for telegram

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1852, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of telegram was circa 1852

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Telegram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telegram. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

telegram

noun
tele·​gram
ˈtel-ə-ˌgram,
 Southern also  -grəm
: a message sent by telegraph

More from Merriam-Webster on telegram

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