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

The system is designed to be accessible on the software side, allowing developers to test new behaviors in real environments such as homes or dorms. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026

But Apple shut down Dark Sky in 2023, prompting an online outcry, and Grossman eventually left out of frustration with Apple’s sluggish corporate schedule of annual software updates. —Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026

Every tax software review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of tax software products. —Brian Sloan,dan Avery, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026

This is the start of Project Hail Mary, a 2021 science fiction novel by software engineer turned bestselling author Andy Weir. —Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

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