hardware
noun
hard·ware
ˈhärd-ˌwer 
1
: ware (such as fittings, cutlery, tools, utensils, or parts of machines) made of metal
2
: major items of equipment or their components used for a particular purpose
educational hardware
: such as
a
: military equipment
b
: the physical components (such as electronic and electrical devices) of a vehicle (such as a spacecraft) or an apparatus (such as a computer)
3
: an award (such as a trophy, medal, or cup) given in a sports competition
Examples of hardware in a Sentence
She bought some new hardware for her system.
gathered together the hardware needed to set up a first aid station at the finish line for the marathon
Recent Examples on the Web
In the future, Doral Hydrogen is also looking to replicate this off-grid model across its 1 GW global portfolio by proving that H2Pro’s hardware can handle the flicker of solar power without breaking.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
Many new startups have begun building custom hardware — cameras and bodysuits — to capture nuances of human movement, pressure, depth of touch and human pose reconstruction for their datasets.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
That piece of hardware, combined with good tires, gives a Palisade XRT PRO driver an appreciable advantage in bad weather without adding much weight to the vehicle.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026
While no moon landing is in store for the mission, the Artemis 2 crew will test systems and hardware for future expeditions to the surface while traveling about 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the moon – the farthest humans have ever ventured in space.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardware
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Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
Many new startups have begun building custom hardware — cameras and bodysuits — to capture nuances of human movement, pressure, depth of touch and human pose reconstruction for their datasets.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
That piece of hardware, combined with good tires, gives a Palisade XRT PRO driver an appreciable advantage in bad weather without adding much weight to the vehicle.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Mar. 2026
While no moon landing is in store for the mission, the Artemis 2 crew will test systems and hardware for future expeditions to the surface while traveling about 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the moon – the farthest humans have ever ventured in space.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hardware
Cite this Entry
“Hardware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardware. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hardware
noun
hard·ware
ˈhär-ˌdwa(ə)r
-ˌdwe(ə)r
1
: articles (as fittings, cutlery, tools, utensils, or parts of machines) made of metal
2
: the equipment used for a particular purpose
computer hardware
military hardware
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