postal
gb/pˈoʊstəl/ us/pˈoʊstəl/
A2
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
relation
1
Relating to mail delivery
About the work of sending and getting letters and packages.
Usage pattern:
[postal] [service/system/worker]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'postal' with 'postage'. 'Postal' describes things related to mail systems, while 'postage' is the cost of sending mail.
Synonyms
mail-related (Less common; used mainly in technical or descriptive contexts.)
Antonyms
non-postal (Refers to things not involving mail or postal services.)
Collocations
postal service
|postal worker
|postal address
|postal system
Themes
communication
|services
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The postal service was delayed due to heavy snow.
- You need to include your full postal address on the form.
- Postal workers are preparing for the holiday rush.
- The country is modernizing its postal system.
- He complained about the inefficiency of the postal network.
Learner examples
- I wrote my postal address on the letter.
- The postal worker brought me a package.
- Our city has a good postal service.
- Please check the postal code before sending the letter.
adjective
informal
B2
state
2
Extremely angry and violent (slang)
(Informal) Acting very angry and dangerous, often suddenly.
Usage pattern:
to go postal
Common mistake:
Learners may use 'postal' alone to mean 'angry', but this slang meaning is almost always used in the phrase 'go postal'.
Synonyms
furious (General term for very angry; lacks slang origin.)
Antonyms
calm (Opposite emotional state; not angry or violent.)
Collocations
go postal
Themes
emotions
|slang
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He went postal when he found out about the mistake.
- Some feared the driver might go postal after the argument.
- The phrase 'go postal' became popular in the 1990s.
Learner examples
- He went postal when his car was hit.
- She almost went postal when she lost her phone.
- Don't go postal over a small problem.
Grammar
Dictionary form
postal
IPA
GB/pˈoʊstəl/
US/pˈoʊstəl/
Syllables & stress
postal (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (postal)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: postal
Word family
Expressions
go postal
1/ɡˈoʊ pˈoʊstəl/
idiom
informal
Suddenly become violently angry
To suddenly get very angry and act in a dangerous way.
Examples
- After hours of waiting in line, he finally went postal.
- She almost went postal when she saw the mess in the kitchen.