download

American  

[daun-lohd] / ˈdaʊnˌloʊd /

verb (used with object)

• downloads,
  present (3rd person singular)
• downloaded,
  past participle,  past
• downloading
  present participle

1. to transfer (software, data, character sets, etc.) from a distant to a nearby computer, from a larger to a smaller computer, or from a computer to a peripheral device.

---

noun

• downloads
  plural

1. software, data, etc., that has been downloaded.

   the best free music downloads.

2. the act or process of downloading.

download British  

/ ˈdaʊnˌləʊd /

verb

1. to copy or transfer (data or a program) into the memory of one computer system from a larger one

2. to broadcast specialist programmes, for such groups as doctors, outside normal broadcasting hours. They are often recorded on video tapes and viewed later Compare upload

3. to delegate or assign (work, responsibilities, costs, etc) to a someone at a lower level of an organization; off-load

---

noun

1. a file transferred onto a computer from another computer or the internet

download Scientific  

/ doun′lōd′ /

1. To transfer data or programs from a server or host computer to one's own computer or digital device.

2. Compare upload

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• downloadable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• downloads
  plural

Participles

• downloading
  present
• downloaded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• download
  simple
• downloads
  simple
• have downloaded
  perfect
• has downloaded
  perfect
• am downloading
  progressive
• are downloading
  progressive
• is downloading
  progressive
• have been downloading
  perfect progressive
• has been downloading
  perfect progressive

Past

• downloaded
  simple
• had downloaded
  perfect
• was downloading
  progressive
• were downloading
  progressive
• had been downloading
  perfect progressive

Future

• will download
  simple
• will have downloaded
  perfect
• will be downloading
  progressive
• will have been downloading
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of download

down ¹ + load

Explanation

When you've got files on one computer that you need to transfer onto another, you'll need to download or copy the data onto a portable drive to move it. Back before the internet brought the world to our fingers, the word download was used mainly to describe the process of copying files or data from one computer to another. But these days, you can download or copy, just about anything from the internet — from music to movies to books. Another thing you can download, if you aren't careful, is a virus, so be wary before you go transferring all kinds of files to your computer.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

download downloads downloaded downloading

"Because the code was public, people could download it, change it and run it themselves. The developer could ask users to follow the rules, but had little control over their actions," he added.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

Open-source means it is free to download and adapt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

If I want to watch them in the right order, I have to download an app called Stardust TV.

From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2026

Suno lets users download what they make and release it elsewhere, with download caps and watermarks meant to curb abuse; songs made with its new models can be distributed through Believe and TuneCore.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

With the download, I would’ve had other stories.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

As Wang’s posts gained traction and Muse racked up downloads, the app also drew attention for alleged privacy and security concerns—a longtime Achilles’ heel for the company.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Mohan pointed out in a client note on Tuesday that Meta’s Muse reached 2.5 million downloads in its first two weeks, a sign that the agent’s popularity isn’t something to ignore.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

The network says it has 3.2 billion subscribers across YouTube and TikTok in 2026 and has had more than 80 million downloads of its podcasts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

It has been downloaded 12 million times in 2026 alone, according to director Jessie Barry - who says it has had 42 million downloads overall.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

This Harlem free Wi-Fi was sooo slow for downloads.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

I downloaded the app and began testing twice daily as recommended.

From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026

But the decision "cannot remove copies already downloaded or prevent people from continuing to use them", said Poe Zhao, founder of the analysis publication Hello China Tech.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

Hayward resident Jason Hughes, 73, downloaded ChatGPT and Claude for the first time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

James Frakes of Los Angeles downloaded Muse to field incoming Facebook Marketplace inquiries on vacant parcels of land he sells.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

Information can be typed directly into the machine, or it can be downloaded from a computer.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

"Interviewing through Indeed's platform happens entirely in a browser and never requires downloading a special app," the company recently posted online.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Hundreds of thousands responded by downloading the app; by Monday, MapQuest had climbed to No. 1 among navigation apps in Apple’s U.S.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

Holographic, or handwritten, wills are legal in about half of the states in the U.S, including Texas, but it’s not worth writing a will on the cheap or downloading one from the internet.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

Another resident spoke of downloading a smartphone app to track decibel levels throughout the day, intending to document the noise of the coaster screams and report any violations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Why spend all that time downloading a movie playing all over Chicago?

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Related Words

• load
• log in