spammer

Meanings

1. 1nouncountabledisapproving

   Someone who sends large numbers of unwanted messages, such as ads or scams, to many people online.

   Grammar: Countable: a spammer, spammers.

   Patterns

   • block a spammer
   • report a spammer

   The filter blocked a spammer who was sending thousands of emails.

   I reported the spammer after getting a strange link in my inbox.

   A spammer had filled the comments with ads.

2. 2nouncountablecomputing

   A computer account or program that automatically posts or sends junk messages.

   Grammar: Often used for bots: the spammer posts every minute.

   Patterns

   • an automated spammer

   The forum banned the spammer after it posted the same link fifty times.

   An automated spammer hit the website overnight.

   Moderators can spot a spammer from its odd usernames.

Word forms

Common combinations

block a spammer

You can block a spammer with one click.

report a spammer

Please report any spammer you find in the group.

a notorious spammer

The company sued a notorious spammer.

ban a spammer

Moderators banned the spammer from the forum.

email spammer

An email spammer sent thousands of fake offers.

Synonyms and how they differ

scammer

A scammer tries to cheat people out of money, while a spammer may only send unwanted ads.

junk mailer

Junk mailer is the older term for someone who sends unwanted paper or email ads.

phisher

A phisher tricks people into revealing private data, which is a more serious crime than spamming.

troll

A troll posts to provoke anger, while a spammer posts to advertise or cheat.

Word family

spam noun

unwanted bulk messages sent online

spam verb

to send such messages

spamming noun

the act of sending spam

spammy adjective

looking like spam

Commonly confused: spammer or scammer?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “spammer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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