Meaning & use
message
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Meanings
nouncountable
Information spoken, written or sent electronically from one person to another.
Grammar: Countable: leave a message.
Patterns
- a message for someone
- a message from someone
I left a message on her phone.
Did you get my text message?
nouncountable
The main idea or lesson a story, speech or campaign is trying to convey.
Grammar: Often singular: the message of the film.
Patterns
- the message of something
The message of the poster is simple: recycle.
The film's message about kindness moved her.
verbtransitive or intransitiveinformal
To send someone a message, especially by phone or app.
Grammar: Takes an object: message me.
Patterns
- message someone
Message me when you arrive.
He messaged his sister about dinner.
Word forms
| plural | messages |
|---|---|
| third person singular | messages |
| past tense | messaged |
| past participle | messaged |
| -ing form | messaging |
Common combinations
- leave a message
- Please leave a message after the tone.
- get the message
- I got the message and left.
- send a message
- He sent a message to the team.
- text message
- A text message arrived.
- mixed message
- The ad sends a mixed message.
Synonyms and how they differ
- note
- A note is a short written message.
- communication
- Communication is formal and broader.
- theme
- Theme is the central idea of a work, not information sent.
Word family
Commonly confused: message or massage?
message vs massage
Massage is rubbing muscles; message is information.
Practice
The movie's main ___ is that honesty matters more than success.
Choose one answer.
Message here means the underlying idea. A messenger is a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “message”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.