software

noun

soft·​ware ˈsȯft-ˌwer 

: something used or associated with and usually contrasted with hardware: such as

a

: programs for a computer

accounting software

b

dated : the entire set of programs, procedures, and related documentation associated with a mechanical or electronic system and especially a computer system

c

: materials for use with audiovisual equipment

… television programs, music, and movies are now called software, by the way …

—Robert Bixby

Examples of software in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its software can detect those variations and adjust each brick’s position accordingly. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026

Frontier labs, neoclouds and companies building software and novel tech for AI — both in private and public markets — have been recipients of cash, with the value of Nvidia’s equity holdings also buoyed by skyrocketing tech stocks. — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026

Another is investigating dozens of incidents in which Teslas using partial self-driving software ran red lights or drove on the wrong side of the road, sometimes crashing into other vehicles and causing injuries. — Bernard Condon, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026

The company is facing several federal investigation into the safety of its self-driving software. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing software

• software as a service

Rhymes for software

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

Kids Definition

software

noun

soft·​ware ˈsȯf-ˌtwa(ə)r 

-ˌtwe(ə)r

: the programs and related information used by a computer