Definition

1. Noun:

   • Unwanted or unsolicited electronic messages: Refers to digital messages, primarily email, sent indiscriminately to a large number of recipients, often for advertising, phishing, or spreading malware.
   • A type of canned meat: A precooked food product made primarily from chopped pork shoulder meat and ham.

2. Verb:

   • To send spam: The act of sending large quantities of unsolicited messages, typically over the internet.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Digital Messages):
  • My inbox is full of spam offering cheap loans.
  • The company uses filters to block most spam.
• Noun (Canned Meat):
  • He made a sandwich with spam and cheese.
• Verb:
  • It is illegal to spam users without their consent.
  • That company was fined for spamming potential customers.

Advanced Usage

• "Spam filter": A program that detects and blocks spam emails.
  • A good spam filter is essential for any email service.
• "Spam folder": The designated mailbox folder where suspected spam messages are automatically placed.
  • Always check your spam folder for legitimate emails that were misclassified.

Variants and Related Words

• Spammer (n): A person or entity that sends spam.
  • Authorities are tracking down the spammers.
• Spammy (adj, informal): Resembling or characteristic of spam; of low quality, often due to excessive promotion.
  • The website's content felt spammy and untrustworthy.

Synonyms

• Noun (Messages): Junk mail, bulk mail, unsolicited email.
• Noun (Meat): Canned pork, luncheon meat.
• Verb: Flood, bombard (with messages).

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

• To spam someone with something: To send someone a large, excessive number of messages or requests.
  • Fans spammed the celebrity's social media account with birthday wishes.

Related Idioms

• "Spam and eggs": A common dish featuring the canned meat, often used in a literal culinary context.
  • For a quick breakfast, he had spam and eggs.

Noun

1. unwanted e-mail (usually of a commercial nature sent out in bulk)
2. a canned meat made largely from pork

Verb

1. send unwanted or junk e-mail