box office

noun

1
a
: an office (as in a theater) where tickets of admission are sold
b
: income from ticket sales (as for a film)
2
: the ability (as of a show) to attract ticket buyers
also : something that enhances that ability
any publicity is good box office

Examples of box office in a Sentence

The box office will open at 10:00 a.m.
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.
So the movie’s box office staying power has been a relief since theater owners get to keep about half of ticket sales. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026 In addition to its box office success, Maverick was also nominated for six Academy Awards and took home the trophy for Best Sound at the 2023 Oscars. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Feb. 2026 Replacing this theatrical revenue with amortized, indirect streaming favors the platform over the content creator, causing theatrical to lose the high-margin box office. Joseph M. Singer, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026 Melania, which received a worldwide theatrical roll out but did not make box office provider Comscore’s top 10 global chart for the weekend, is expected to hit Prime Video with additional footage as a docuseries in the upcoming weeks (a release date hasn’t been set). Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for box office

Word History

First Known Use

1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of box office was in 1741

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Box office.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/box%20office. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

box office

noun
: an office in a public place (as a theater or stadium) where admission tickets are sold

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