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address

Other forms: addressed; addressing; addresses

When you are a student and you want to address your teacher, it's generally safer to call her Ms. and not address her by her first name, Esmeralda.

Address is a word that's long been associated with correspondence — the street number, city, state, and postal code that must be on the front of any envelope if it's going to arrive at its destination. In the digital age, an address has also come to mean the location where you might e-mail your friend pictures of your dog dressed up in a birthday hat. If you wanted to tell that friend about your dog's birthday party in person, you might address her directly. Address to describe a way of speaking is usually reserved for more formal occasions, such as when the President addresses the nation.

Definitions of address
  1. noun
    the place where a person or organization can be found or communicated with
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    mailing address
    the address where a person or organization can be communicated with
    street address
    the address where a person or organization can be found
    abode, residence
    any address at which you dwell more than temporarily
    business address
    the address at which a business is located
    box number
    a mailing address to which answers to a newspaper ad can be sent
    PO Box No, PO box number, box number, post-office box number
    the number of a letter box at the post office where mail is collected
    domicile, legal residence
    (law) the residence where you have your permanent home or principal establishment and to where, whenever you are absent, you intend to return; every person is compelled to have one and only one domicile at a time
    home, place
    where you live at a particular time
    type of:
    geographic point, geographical point
    a point on the surface of the Earth
  2. noun
    a sign in front of a house or business carrying the conventional form by which its location is described
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    type of:
    street sign
    a sign visible from the street
  3. noun
    written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location
    synonyms: destination, name and address
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    return address
    the address of the sender of a letter or parcel indicating where it should be returned if it cannot be delivered
    type of:
    direction, instruction
    a message describing how something is to be done
  4. noun
    (computer science) the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored
    synonyms: computer address, reference
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    types:
    argument, parameter
    (computer science) a reference or value that is passed to a function, procedure, subroutine, command, or program
    URL, uniform resource locator, universal resource locator
    the address of a web page on the world wide web
    type of:
    code, computer code
    (computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions
  5. verb
    put an address on (an envelope)
    synonyms: direct
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    types:
    misaddress, misdirect
    put a wrong address on
    instrument
    address a legal document to
    re-address
    put a new address on (an envelope), as for forwarding
    type of:
    label
    assign a label to; designate with a label
  6. verb
    access or locate by address
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    type of:
    access
    obtain or retrieve from a storage device; as of information on a computer
  7. noun
    the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
    “he listened to an address on minor Roman poets”
    synonyms: speech
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    examples:
    Gettysburg Address
    a three-minute address by Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War at the dedication of a national cemetery on the site of the Battle of Gettysburg (November 19, 1863)
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    allocution
    (rhetoric) a formal or authoritative address that advises or exhorts
    colloquium
    an address to an academic meeting or seminar
    dithyramb
    a wildly enthusiastic speech or piece of writing
    impromptu
    an extemporaneous speech or remark
    inaugural, inaugural address
    an address delivered at an inaugural ceremony (especially by a United States president)
    lecture, public lecture, talk
    a speech that is open to the public
    litany
    any long and tedious address or recital
    oratory
    addressing an audience formally (usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous)
    oral presentation, public speaking, speaking, speechmaking
    delivering an address to a public audience
    discourse, preaching, sermon
    an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
    reading, recital, recitation
    a public instance of reciting or repeating (from memory) something prepared in advance
    keynote address, keynote speech
    a speech setting forth the keynote
    nominating address, nominating speech, nomination
    an address (usually at a political convention) proposing the name of a candidate to run for election
    oration
    an instance of oratory
    debate, disputation, public debate
    the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)
    declamation
    vehement oratory
    epideictic oratory
    a type of oratory used to eulogize or condemn a person or group of people
    stump speech
    political oratory
    salutatory, salutatory address, salutatory oration
    an opening or welcoming statement (especially one delivered at graduation exercises)
    valediction, valedictory, valedictory address, valedictory oration
    a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class)
    baccalaureate
    a farewell sermon to a graduating class at their commencement ceremonies
    kerugma, kerygma
    preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church
    evangelism
    zealous preaching and advocacy of the gospel
    homily, preachment
    a sermon on a moral or religious topic
    type of:
    speech act
    the use of language to perform some act
  8. noun
    the manner of speaking to another individual
    “he failed in his manner of address to the captain”
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    type of:
    delivery, manner of speaking, speech
    your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally
  9. noun
    social skill
    synonyms: savoir-faire
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    type of:
    tact, tactfulness
    consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense
  10. verb
    speak to
    “He addressed the crowd outside the window”
    synonyms: turn to
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    ask
    address a question to and expect an answer from
    call
    greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name
    query, question
    pose a question
    interrogate, question
    pose a series of questions to
    type of:
    communicate, intercommunicate
    transmit thoughts or feelings
  11. verb
    give a speech to
    “The chairman addressed the board of trustees”
    synonyms: speak
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    blaze away
    speak with fire and passion
    memorialise, memorialize
    address in a memorial
    keynote
    give the keynote address to (an audience)
    harangue
    deliver a harangue to; address forcefully
  12. verb
    speak to someone
    synonyms: accost, come up to
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    greet, recognise, recognize
    express greetings upon meeting someone
    approach
    make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion
    hit
    pay unsolicited and usually unwanted sexual attention to
    shake hands
    take someone's hands and shake them as a gesture of greeting or congratulation
    bob, curtsy
    make a curtsy; usually done only by girls and women; as a sign of respect
    salute
    greet in a friendly way
    present, salute
    recognize with a gesture prescribed by a military regulation; assume a prescribed position
    salute
    honor with a military ceremony, as when honoring dead soldiers
    hail, herald
    greet enthusiastically or joyfully
    receive, welcome
    bid welcome to; greet upon arrival
    say farewell
    say good-bye or bid farewell
    bid, wish
    invoke upon
    type of:
    come, come up
    move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
  13. verb
    greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name
    “He always addresses me with `Sir'”
    synonyms: call
    call, name
    assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
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    type of:
    turn to
    speak to
  14. verb
    direct a question at someone
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    type of:
    aim, direct, place, point, target
    intend (something) to move towards a certain goal
  15. noun
    the stance assumed by a golfer in preparation for hitting a golf ball
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    type of:
    stance
    standing posture
  16. verb
    adjust and aim (a golf ball) at in preparation of hitting
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    type of:
    adjust, align, aline, line up
    place in a line or arrange so as to be parallel or straight
  17. verb
    address or apply oneself to something, direct one's efforts towards something, such as a question
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    type of:
    apply, employ, use, utilise, utilize
    put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
  18. verb
    act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
    synonyms: cover, deal, handle, plow, treat
    do by, handle, treat
    interact in a certain way
    comprehend, cover, embrace, encompass
    include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
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    theologise, theologize
    treat from a theological viewpoint or render theological in character
    discourse, discuss, talk about
    consider or examine in speech or writing
    descant
    talk at great length about something of one's interest
    talk shop
    discuss matters that are related to work
    type of:
    broach, initiate, moot
    bring up a topic for discussion
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘address'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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