# spam

/ˈspæm/ (US) · /spˈæm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spam
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. unwanted messages

noun · CEFR A2

unwanted emails or messages, usually sent to many people to advertise something.

For teachers: unsolicited bulk electronic messages, typically sent for commercial or malicious purposes. Uncountable in this general sense.

- My inbox is full of spam from companies I have never heard of.
- Advanced filtering algorithms are now capable of intercepting the vast majority of spam before it reaches the user's primary inbox.

### 2. tinned meat

noun · CEFR B1

a brand of canned cooked meat made mostly from ham.

For teachers: a specific brand of processed canned meat product, often used generically to refer to similar tinned meat items.

- He made a quick sandwich with a few slices of spam and some mustard.
- During the mid-twentieth century, spam became a staple food source in many regions due to its long shelf life and ease of transport.

### 3. to send many messages

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to send the same message many times, often in a way that annoys people.

For teachers: to send unsolicited or repetitive messages to a large number of recipients or to a single recipient excessively.

- Stop spamming the group chat with those silly stickers.
- The bot was programmed to spam the comment section with links to a fraudulent website until the moderator finally banned the account.

### 4. to repeat an action quickly

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to press a button or do an action in a game very quickly and many times.

For teachers: to perform a specific action or use a particular ability repeatedly and rapidly, especially in a video game context.

- You can win the fight just by spamming the kick button.
- Competitive players often criticise those who spam a single powerful move rather than using a variety of tactical skills.

## Examples

- My inbox is full of spam today.
- The company's marketing campaign backfired when customers began reporting their daily newsletters as spam.
- Advanced filtering algorithms now catch the vast majority of spam before it reaches the user's primary inbox, though sophisticated phishing attempts still occasionally bypass these digital barriers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.