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

Reactor, which emerged from stealth in May, develops software to make world models run faster and cheaper, and sells a cloud service that manages the computing capacity. — Wen Shao, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026

Its on-demand manufacturing technology, however, is built to handle this level of complexity, combining proprietary software and machinery so production settings can adapt as the digital input of each garment changes. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Powered by Prism Mission Autonomy software, this testbed enables rapid evaluation and continuous updates for artificial intelligence flight systems. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

The private credit market got slammed earlier this year when investors panicked about funds’ exposures to software companies, which suddenly seemed obsolete amid developments in AI. — Ellen Dimauro, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 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