adware

noun

ad·​ware ˈad-ˌwer 

: computer software that is provided usually for free but contains advertisements

Examples of adware in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Responding to the continuing tidal waves of malware, adware and permission abuse, Google is now clamping down. — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026

The place is ripe with adware, trackers, and malware of a more nefarious nature than your standard surface web versions. — PC Magazine, 22 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

ad entry 1 + -ware (in software)

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for adware

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