Is it 'voice mail' or 'voicemail'?

Both are correct. 'Voicemail' as one word is increasingly common, especially in digital contexts. 'Voice mail' (two words) is the traditional form.

Can 'voice mail' be used as a verb?

Informally, yes (e.g., 'Voice mail me the details'), but it's considered casual. In formal writing, use 'leave a voice mail'.

What's the difference between 'voice mail' and 'answering machine'?

An 'answering machine' is a physical device. 'Voice mail' typically refers to a digital service provided by a phone company or network, often accessible remotely.

Is 'voice mail' countable or uncountable?

It can be both. Uncountable when referring to the system/service ('I hate voice mail'). Countable when referring to individual messages ('I have three new voice mails').

voice mail

UK/ˈvɔɪs meɪl/US/ˈvɔɪs meɪl/

Neutral to Informal

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

An electronic system that records and stores telephone messages, which can be retrieved by the intended recipient later.

A single recorded message left on such a system; the general concept of asynchronous audio messaging, sometimes extended metaphorically to other contexts (e.g., 'leaving a voice mail in my mind').

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

A compound noun. Can refer to the system/service ('Check your voice mail') or a specific message ('I left you a voice mail'). Often treated as an uncountable mass noun for the system, but countable for individual messages.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

In the UK, 'answerphone' or 'voicemail' (often as one word) are also common. In the US, 'voice mail' (two words) or 'voicemail' are standard, with 'answering machine' referring specifically to a physical device.

Connotations

Neutral in both. No strong connotations, though sometimes associated with business or bureaucratic communication.

Frequency

Very high frequency in US business and everyday contexts. Slightly less dominant in UK, where 'answerphone' retains some currency, especially among older speakers.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

check (your) voice mailleave a voice mailvoice mail messagevoice mail systemvoice mail box

medium

retrieve voice maillisten to voice mailclear your voice mailfull voice mail

weak

hate voice mailignore voice maillong voice mailurgent voice mail

Grammar

Valency Patterns

leave [someone] a voice mailcheck [your] voice mailhave [a] voice mail [from someone]

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

answering machine (for the physical device)

Neutral

voicemailanswerphone (UK)recorded message

Weak

message bank (AU)voice message (more generic)

Vocabulary

Antonyms

live callreal-time conversationface-to-face talk

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“My inbox/voice mail is blowing up (informal, for receiving many messages)”
“Don't be a voice mail ghost (informal, for someone who only leaves messages, never answers)”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Standard professional communication tool. 'Please leave your name and number after the tone.'

Academic

Rare, except in administrative or organisational communication.

Everyday

Common for personal messaging. 'Mum, I got your voice mail about dinner.'

Technical

Refers to the telephony feature or software subsystem.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

I'll voicemail you the details.
He voicemailed instead of texting.

American English

She voice-mailed me while I was in the meeting.
Just voice mail me the address.

adverb

British English

(Rare/Non-standard)

American English

(Rare/Non-standard)

adjective

British English

She left a voicemail message.
The voicemail greeting was cheerful.

American English

I hate voice-mail menus.
Set up your voice-mail password.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I have a voice mail from my friend.
My voice mail is full.

Please leave a message after the voice mail tone.
Did you get the voice mail I sent yesterday?

His voice mail was so garbled I could barely understand the instructions.
I prefer email to voice mail for detailed information.

The proliferation of voice mail has ironically made real-time phone conversations somewhat rarer.
She meticulously screens all her calls, relying solely on voice mail to filter urgent matters.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of your VOICE being put in the MAIL (postal system) but electronically—it's stored and delivered later.

Conceptual Metaphor

COMMUNICATION IS A STORED OBJECT (you 'retrieve' messages, your mailbox can be 'full').

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid direct calque 'голосовая почта' in all contexts—it's understood but not the only/natural phrase. 'Автоответчик' is the physical machine. 'Голосовое сообщение' is the generic term.

Common Mistakes

Using 'voice mail' as a verb (*'I'll voice mail you') instead of 'leave a voice mail'. Confusing 'voice mail' (system/message) with 'mailbox' (the storage).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

Sorry, I missed your call. Can you please leave a with your name and number?

Multiple Choice

Which phrase is LEAST likely in modern American English?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Both are correct. 'Voicemail' as one word is increasingly common, especially in digital contexts. 'Voice mail' (two words) is the traditional form.
: Informally, yes (e.g., 'Voice mail me the details'), but it's considered casual. In formal writing, use 'leave a voice mail'.
: An 'answering machine' is a physical device. 'Voice mail' typically refers to a digital service provided by a phone company or network, often accessible remotely.
: It can be both. Uncountable when referring to the system/service ('I hate voice mail'). Countable when referring to individual messages ('I have three new voice mails').