widget

noun

wid·​get ˈwi-jət 

1

: gadget

2

: an unnamed article considered for purposes of hypothetical example

3

: a small software application that is designed to provide a specific piece of information (such as news, weather, or traffic updates) or a specific function (such as taking notes or controlling another application) on demand

This resource allows anglers to see what advisories are in effect in specific waterways … . The web page is optimized for mobile devices, with a widget that allows users to zoom to their exact location on the map with the press of a button.

—Chris Knauss

A widget might show you the weather forecast, or the latest baseball scores. There are widgets that show photographs you've stored online, or that cull images from the Daily Puppy Web site.

—Rob Walker

Synonyms of widget

• gadget

Examples of widget in a Sentence

manufacturers of all kinds of widgets for the do-it-yourselfer

Recent Examples on the Web

But unlike other automakers, Rivian also allows the halo dials to toggle fore and aft in a similar fashion to paddle shifters—and even tilt inward and outward laterally to make gauge screen widget selections. —ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026

Apple Watch users will also be able to tap their index finger and thumb together once to select a widget in the Smart Stack of the watch to see relevant information, per Apple. —Mason Leath, ABC News, 8 June 2026

Please also chat with our team using the chat widget at the bottom right-hand corner of this page for the fastest support. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 June 2026

Common features include posts and pages, widgets, comment sections, and more. —Jeremy Saks, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of gadget

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for widget

• digit
• fidget
• midget