freeware

noun

free·​ware ˈfrē-ˌwer How to pronounce freeware (audio)
: software that is available for use at no cost or for a nominal usually voluntary fee

Examples of freeware in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The month before Dwarf Fortress was released on Steam (and Itch.io), the brothers Zach and Tarn Adams made $15,635 in revenue, mostly from donations for their 16-year freeware project. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 2 Feb. 2023 DNS Jumper is a portable freeware tool that tests multiple public DNS services. Toby Grey, BGR, 21 Sep. 2022 The majority of unsolicited freeware will clog your computer with junk files, give you malware or provide entryways for hackers. Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 19 Sep. 2021 Saunders sometimes does this stacking by hand and sometimes uses freeware used by astronomy photographers. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 13 Apr. 2020 GEBCO world map / http://www.gebco.net/ Basemap for bottom two maps created in GeoMapApp (an excellent freeware mapping tool) Brian Romans, WIRED, 19 Sep. 2010

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freeware.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of freeware was in 1983

Dictionary Entries Near freeware

Cite this Entry

“Freeware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freeware. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

freeware

noun
free·​ware ˈfrē-ˌwa(ə)r How to pronounce freeware (audio)
-ˌwe(ə)r
: software available at no cost

More from Merriam-Webster on freeware

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!