gadget

noun

gad·​get ˈga-jət 

: an often small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use but often thought of as a novelty

gadgetry

ˈga-jə-trē 

noun

gadgety

ˈga-jə-tē 

adjective

Synonyms of gadget

• tool
• appliance
• gizmo
• contraption
• widget
• accessory
• mechanism
• innovation

Examples of gadget in a Sentence

The kitchen is equipped with all the latest gadgets.

cell phones, pagers, and other gadgets

Recent Examples on the Web

But also the expansion of other undersea equipment, gadgets, drones, and so forth. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026

HomeView is the centerpiece of Apple’s latest smart home push, offering an in-home display for playing music, talking with Siri, controlling other gadgets, and more. — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

The five-minute egg timer problem For years, one of the most useful gadgets in my kitchen was an Alexa with a clock. — New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026

In the 1920s, electricity and electric gadgets were promoted over the airwaves on one of those gadgets, the radio. — Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps a sound-symbolic coinage, with final as in fidget entry 1, midget, idjit (nonstandard form of idiot)

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gadget

• areopagite

Kids Definition

gadget

noun

gad·​get ˈgaj-ət 

: an interesting, unfamiliar, or unusual device with a practical use

gadgetry

ˈgaj-ə-trē 

noun