program

noun

pro·gram | \ ˈprō-ˌgram

Definition of program

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 [ Late Latin programma, from Greek ] : a public notice

2a : a brief usually printed outline of the order to be followed, of the features to be presented, and the persons participating (as in a public performance)

b : the performance of a program especially : a performance broadcast on radio or television

3 : a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal

4 : curriculum

5 : prospectus, syllabus

6a : a sequence of coded instructions that can be inserted into a mechanism (such as a computer)

b dated : a complete plan for solving a problem by the use of a mechanism (such as a computer) that includes both instructions to be inserted into the mechanism and plans for human activities such as interpreting output

c : the genes or sequences of DNA or RNA that are part of an organism or cell and encode or determine a process, trait, or behavior … a mouse in which a tiny but crucial bit of the genetic program has been eliminated.— Bruce Fellman also : a process, trait, or behavior determined by or as if by the genetic material of an organism Orb webs are marvels of geometry and construction. They are built according to a complex behavioral program, which is highly flexible in some respects and very precise in others. — Michael H. Robinson

program

verb

pro·gram | \ ˈprō-ˌgram

, -grəm\

variants: or less commonly programme

programmed or programed; programming or programing

Definition of program (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to arrange or furnish a program of or for : bill

b : to enter in a program

2 : to work out a sequence of operations to be performed by (a mechanism, such as a computer) : to provide with a program

3a : to insert a program for (a particular action) into or as if into a mechanism (such as a computer)

b : to control by or as if by a program

c(1) : to code in an organism's program

(2) : to provide with a biological program cells programmed to synthesize hemoglobin

4 : to predetermine the thinking, behavior, or operations of as if by computer programming children are programmed into violence— Lisa A. Richette

Other Words from program Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about program

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from program

Verb

programmability \ (ˌ)prō-ˌgra-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

programmable \ ˈprō-ˌgra-mə-bəl

\ adjective or noun

Examples of program in a Sentence

Noun

a program of regular dental checkups the program will tell us the scheduled order of musical numbers

Verb

He programmed the computer to calculate his monthly expenses and earnings. She is learning how to program in school. Can you help me program my cell phone?

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The F-35 Joint Strike fighter, the most expensive military program of all time, involves three versions of the same fighter separately produced for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and foreign customers. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The F-35 Runs Into Another Expensive Problem: Birds," 15 May 2019 The launch-control program, which was inconsistent in its engagement, was considerably slower. — Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver, "We Test the 2020 Toyota Supra: Zero to 60 in 3.8 Seconds," 14 May 2019 Through this program, which began in 1989, runners typically raise about $30 million a year for various causes, says Lotsbom. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "6 Things You Should Know Before Watching the 2019 Boston Marathon," 11 Apr. 2019 And, even more good news, the program has already been renewed for a seventh season. — Blair Donovan, Country Living, "'When Calls the Heart' Star Jack Wagner Is Really Struggling With Lori Loughlin's Exit," 2 May 2019 There’s also little waste and fraud in the program. — Julia Belluz, Vox, "A new Trump rule could take food stamps away from 755,000 people," 20 Dec. 2018 Joel Montalbano, the deputy ISS program manager, said during a pre-launch press conference on Monday. — Loren Grush, The Verge, "Watch SpaceX launch thousands of pounds of cargo and experiments to the International Space Station," 5 Dec. 2018 While there, Sully, escorted by America's VetDogs service dog program manager Valerie Cramer, wore an American flag vest and sat in front of his late owner's casket for a moment of silence. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "This Is What Will Happen to Sully, George H.W. Bush's Beloved Service Dog," 5 Dec. 2018 The publication reports that George's last appearance in the program will air in 2019. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "'MacGyver' Actor George Eads Is Reportedly Leaving the Show," 30 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

By contrast, President Trump’s campaign-style rally in Michigan Saturday night, staged as counter-programming to the press dinner, was a mostly forgettable 80 minutes. — Linda Feldmann, The Christian Science Monitor, "Traveling with Trump as he skipped – and skewered – the press dinner," 30 Apr. 2018 Possible programming failure McPherson and other experts also question whether there was a problem with how the car was programmed. — Ryan Randazzo, azcentral, "What went wrong with Uber's Volvo in fatal crash? Experts shocked by technology failure," 22 Mar. 2018 This is at odds with how humans are biologically programmed. — Stephanie Walden, USA TODAY, "Brain scientists identify a new kind of hunger that makes us overeat," 11 Jan. 2018 Software programmed in Cobol powers millions of banking transactions every day and underpins critical computer mainframes. — Max Colchester, WSJ, "Do You Know Cobol? If So, There Might Be a Job for You.," 21 Sep. 2018 As a result, the number of channels and the amount of sports programming in Spanish have multiplied and can even be bewildering. — James Wagner, New York Times, "Telemundo Has a Big Goal: Win the World Cup," 23 June 2018 The disaster drill occurred after a morning of programing on the dig law. — Amy Lavalley, Post-Tribune, "Gas line safety reminder digs in for spring projects," 23 Mar. 2018 Each batch comes out to approximately 10.5 pints of beer, and it's programmed to make 5 different beer styles: American IPA, American Pale Ale, English Stout, Belgian-style Witbier, and Czech Pilsner. — Brittney Morgan, House Beautiful, "Brew Your Own Beer At Home So Easily With LG's New HomeBrew Device," 9 Jan. 2019 American audiences don’t encounter French music with the regularity and in the depth that it was customarily programmed in the ’20s and ’30s. — Marcus Overton, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego Symphony wraps up Masterworks series with an out-of-focus concert," 26 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'program.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.