notifications

IPA/ˌnəʊ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
KK[nˌotəfəkˈeʃənz]IPA/ˌnoʊ.t̬ə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/

notifications — noun

  • notificationssingular
  • notificationsesplural

1. a formal message, letter, or announcement that gives official information about

1.nounB2
Definition

a formal message, letter, or announcement that gives official information about a decision, event, or change — for example, telling employees about a company policy update, or informing a tenant about a rent increase.

Example

The school sent a notification to all parents about the holiday schedule change.

send a notification + about + noun phrase

Megan received a written notification from the council confirming her housing application.

receive a written notification + from [authority]

Common collocations
  • formal notification
  • written notification
  • prior notification
  • notification of [change/decision]
  • send/receive notification
  • give notification
  • issue a notification
  • notification letter
Synonyms
  • notice

    more general term; a notice can be a public sign or a formal announcement, while notification is typically directed at specific individuals

  • announcement

    broader and can be public or private; often less formal than notification

  • bulletin

    usually a brief, public news report or update, often issued by an organization

  • alert

    stresses urgency or danger; a notification is not necessarily urgent

Grammar Patterns

notification + of + noun phrase

notification + that-clause

give/send/receive notification

Usage Note

Frequently used in formal or administrative writing. The uncountable form ('upon notification', 'without prior notification') treats the act of informing as an abstract concept, while the countable form ('a notification', 'several notifications') refers to individual documents or messages.

Common Mistakes

I gave him a notification about the dinner party.
I gave him a heads-up about the dinner party.
'Notification' sounds too formal for casual social plans; use 'heads-up' or 'notice' instead.
The notification said that tomorrow is a holiday.
The notice said that tomorrow is a holiday.
An official document posted publicly is usually called a 'notice,' while 'notification' is sent to specific people.

2. a short message, sound, or symbol that appears on the screen of a smartphone, ta

2.nounA2
Definition

a short message, sound, or symbol that appears on the screen of a smartphone, tablet, or computer to tell you about something new — for example, a new email, a social-media comment, a weather update, or a calendar reminder.

Example

Lucía checks her notifications first thing every morning to see if any friends replied.

check notifications first thing in the morning

Faisal missed an important notification because his phone was on silent mode during the meeting.

miss a notification because phone is on silent

Common collocations
  • push notification
  • mobile notification
  • app notification
  • notification bar / centre
  • notification settings
  • notification sound
  • turn on/off notifications
  • dismiss a notification
  • notification pops up
  • get/receive a notification
Synonyms
  • alert

    slightly more urgent or attention-grabbing than notification; often used for alarms or warnings

  • reminder

    specifically a notification meant to prompt an action (e.g., a calendar reminder)

  • ping

    informal term for a brief notification sound or message

Grammar Patterns

get/receive a notification from [app]

turn on/off notifications

notification pops up / appears

Usage Note

In technology contexts, 'notifications' (plural) is far more common than the singular form. Typical verb partners are 'turn on/off,' 'dismiss,' 'check,' 'get,' and 'receive.' A single alert is 'a notification,' but users refer to the feature as 'notifications' (e.g., 'I turned off all notifications').

Common Mistakes

I received a notification from my mother.
I received a message from my mother.
Notifications are system-generated alerts, not direct personal messages. Use 'message,' 'text,' or 'call' for person-to-person communication.
The notification rang.
The notification sounded / the notification went off.
'Ring' is for phone calls and alarms; notifications 'appear,' 'pop up,' or 'sound.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

These four words all describe digital messages that appear on a device, but they differ in purpose and formality. 'Notification' is the broadest and most neutral term—it covers any system-generated message, whether from a social app, email, or calendar. 'Alert' often implies urgency or importance; a weather warning or security breach 'alert' demands attention, whereas a friend's 'like' on a photo is simply a 'notification.' 'Reminder' is narrower: it prompts a specific action and is usually set by the user (e.g., a dentist appointment reminder). 'Ping' is informal and usually refers to the sound or brief message itself ('I heard a ping from my phone'). In conversation, a user might say 'I got a ping from Slack' to mean a chat notification. For everyday use, 'notification' is the safest choice; choose 'alert' for urgent updates, 'reminder' for user-set prompts, and 'ping' only in casual speech.

notification ↗alert ↗reminder ↗ping ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in notification of
  • upon notification
  • without prior notification

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin verb 'notificare' — 'to make known' — which is formed from 'notus' (known, from 'noscere' — to get to know) and '-ficare' (to make). The word entered English via French as 'notify' in the 14th century, with 'notification' appearing shortly after. The modern digital sense (a phone or computer alert) emerged in the late 1990s as mobile devices and software began pushing automated messages to users.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1