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

Chip heavyweight Nvidia is rolling out a new software platform that allows AI developers to set safeguards for agents to prevent them from misbehaving. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Huang, during the annual Salesforce technology conference held earlier this month, characterized AI safety, including the danger of rogue agents, as an engineering problem that software developers can address. — Kelvin Chan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

The total number of recalls grew 21% from 2021 to 2025, based on an analysis by Trace One, a provider of regulatory guidance software. — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Hugging Face is a partner on the software platform, Nvidia noted. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 28 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