widget

noun

wid·​get ˈwi-jət 

1

: gadget

2

: an unnamed article considered for purposes of hypothetical example

3

: a small software application that is designed to provide a specific piece of information (such as news, weather, or traffic updates) or a specific function (such as taking notes or controlling another application) on demand

This resource allows anglers to see what advisories are in effect in specific waterways … . The web page is optimized for mobile devices, with a widget that allows users to zoom to their exact location on the map with the press of a button.

—Chris Knauss

A widget might show you the weather forecast, or the latest baseball scores. There are widgets that show photographs you've stored online, or that cull images from the Daily Puppy Web site.

—Rob Walker

Synonyms of widget

• gadget

Examples of widget in a Sentence

manufacturers of all kinds of widgets for the do-it-yourselfer

Recent Examples on the Web

Use of this widget is subject to the Axiom Terms and Privacy Notice. — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

These dashboards are highly customizable, with numerous widgets for tracking various metrics and visualizing them in different chart types. — Dianna Gunn, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026

Spotify is terrifying much of the podcast industry with a tiny little widget. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Aug. 2026

The live transit widget and more personalized responses are rolling out now to everywhere Ask Maps is available — which as of today, has been expanded to include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico. — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of gadget

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for widget

• digit
• fidget
• midget