post office box: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
IntermediateFormal (official contexts), Neutral (everyday contexts)
Quick answer
What does “post office box” mean?
A numbered, locked compartment within a post office where mail is held for collection by an individual or organization.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A numbered, locked compartment within a post office where mail is held for collection by an individual or organization.
A rented service provided by postal authorities that offers a secure, fixed postal address for receiving mail, distinct from a street address. Sometimes used metonymically to refer to the alphanumeric identifier of such a service (e.g., 'My address is PO Box 1234').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in both varieties. The service is operated by 'Royal Mail' in the UK and the 'United States Postal Service' (USPS) in the US. The abbreviation 'PO Box' is universal.
Connotations
Neutral in both, denoting a practical mail service. In business contexts, it can sometimes imply a smaller or home-based operation compared to a physical street address, but this is not a strong connotation.
Frequency
Equally common and standard in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “post office box” in a Sentence
rent [OBJ: a post office box]send [OBJ: mail] [ADV: to a post office box]have [OBJ: a post office box] [ADV: at the main post office]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “post office box” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The post-office-box service is quite reliable.
- Please use the PO-box address for returns.
American English
- We need a P.O. box address for the application.
- The post office box rental has expired.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for official correspondence, separating business and personal mail, or for businesses without a permanent physical location.
Academic
Rare; may appear in addresses for academic journals or societies.
Everyday
Used by individuals for privacy, security, or when living in areas with unreliable door-to-door delivery.
Technical
Specifically refers to the numbered compartment within a postal facility and the associated rental service contract.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “post office box”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “post office box”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “post office box”
- Using 'post box' (which is a public street mailbox for sending mail). Confusing 'PO Box' with a physical mailing address when filling out forms that require a 'street address' field.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'mailbox' is typically a physical box at your home or on the street for receiving mail. A 'PO box' (post office box) is a rented, locked box located inside a post office facility.
Yes, but with limitations. Most postal services will deliver parcels to a PO box. However, if a parcel is too large to fit, you will usually receive a notification to collect it from the counter. Private courier services (like FedEx, UPS) often cannot deliver to PO boxes, requiring a street address.
Yes, 'P.O. Box' is simply the standard abbreviated form of 'Post Office Box'. They are used interchangeably.
Common reasons include: increased privacy and security for mail, having a stable mailing address when moving frequently, receiving mail in an area with poor door-to-door service, or separating business and personal mail.
A numbered, locked compartment within a post office where mail is held for collection by an individual or organization.
Post office box is usually formal (official contexts), neutral (everyday contexts) in register.
Post office box: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpəʊst ˌɒfɪs ˈbɒks/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpoʊst ˌɑːfɪs ˈbɑːks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's like sending a letter to a post office box in the desert (i.e., sending something to a vague or unresponsive destination).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a POST OFFICE building. Inside, there's a wall of numbered BOXES. A POST OFFICE BOX is your personal, locked mailbox within that official building.
Conceptual Metaphor
A POST OFFICE BOX IS A SECURE CONTAINER FOR IDENTITY (it safely holds correspondence representing one's social/business identity).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a key feature of a 'post office box'?