hardware

noun

hard·​ware ˈhärd-ˌwer 

1

: ware (such as fittings, cutlery, tools, utensils, or parts of machines) made of metal

2

: major items of equipment or their components used for a particular purpose

educational hardware

: such as

a

: military equipment

b

: the physical components (such as electronic and electrical devices) of a vehicle (such as a spacecraft) or an apparatus (such as a computer)

3

: an award (such as a trophy, medal, or cup) given in a sports competition

Synonyms of hardware

• equipment
• gear
• apparatus

Examples of hardware in a Sentence

She bought some new hardware for her system.

gathered together the hardware needed to set up a first aid station at the finish line for the marathon

Recent Examples on the Web

The company says its load-management controls can help accommodate the fluctuating power requirements of computing hardware while supporting grid stability. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026

Kashani connects lower per-delivery costs directly to fleet utilization and scale, arguing that expanding demand beyond peak restaurant hours into off-peak hours and new use cases drives overall operating and hardware costs down for everyone. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 11 Nov. 2026

Last year, downloads of Chinese open-weight models—AI models that anyone can download from the Internet and run on their own hardware—surpassed those of American ones across the world. — Tal Feldman, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2026

Replacement filters turn the initial hardware sale into an ongoing customer relationship. — Karin Eldor, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hardware

• hardware cloth

Rhymes for hardware

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

hardware

noun

hard·​ware ˈhär-ˌdwa(ə)r 

-ˌdwe(ə)r

1

: articles (as fittings, cutlery, tools, utensils, or parts of machines) made of metal

2

: the equipment used for a particular purpose

computer hardware

military hardware