hardware

noun

hard·​ware ˈhärd-ˌwer How to pronounce hardware (audio)
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 Pack | 5 Inch Matte Black Stainless Steel Kitchen Cabinet Handles $26.99, $21.59 Give your cabinets a quick update by replacing hardware. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2024 Their objection related to the scope of the survey—which included data on the precise location of facilities, types of hardware contained therein, and the firms supplying the energy—and to sensitive information being released publicly. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 Having better computer chips could soon become a bigger competitive advantage than having better computer code, Siddharth Garg, an electrical engineer who designs machine-learning hardware at NYU, told me. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024 The board is easy to install and includes all the necessary hardware. Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024 Much of the hardware for Gateway’s first module has already been manufactured. David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The former is only available when asphalt plants are open, typically the non-winter months, while the latter is basically what someone could buy at a hardware store. Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Once this is complete, Aurora’s hardware and Conti’s fallback system will be shipped to the OEM integrators (PACCAR and Volvo Trucks) to be integrated onto the initial trucks for delivery. Richard Bishop, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The Federal Aviation Administration ordered 17 corrective actions, including hardware redesigns for its Super Heavy Booster and additional fire protection and upgrades for its Starship vehicle. Aashna Shah, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hardware.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardware was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near hardware

Cite this Entry

“Hardware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardware. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hardware

noun
hard·​ware ˈhär-ˌdwa(ə)r How to pronounce hardware (audio)
-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

More from Merriam-Webster on hardware

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