: software designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning
Examples of malware in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
True, malware written for Windows can't damage a Mac, but wiping out Windows malware guarantees the Mac can’t be used as a path to infect Windows devices on the network.
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PCMAG, 6 May 2024
The new product uses the Gemini 1.5 Pro large language model, which Google says reduces the time needed to reverse engineer malware attacks.
—Emilia David, The Verge, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for malware 
PCMAG, 6 May 2024
The new product uses the Gemini 1.5 Pro large language model, which Google says reduces the time needed to reverse engineer malware attacks.
—Emilia David, The Verge, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for malware
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'malware.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Malware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malware. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
malware
noun
mal·ware
ˈmal-ˌwer 
: software that is designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning and that can be used to commit cybercrime (as by revealing passwords, PINs, and other sensitive data)
Etymology
mal- bad + software
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