download
Americanverb (used with object)
-
downloads,
present (3rd person singular)
-
downloaded,
past participle, past
-
downloading
present participle
noun
-
downloads
plural
-
software, data, etc., that has been downloaded.
the best free music downloads.
-
the act or process of downloading.
verb
-
to copy or transfer (data or a program) into the memory of one computer system from a larger one
-
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
-
to delegate or assign (work, responsibilities, costs, etc) to a someone at a lower level of an organization; off-load
noun
-
To transfer data or programs from a server or host computer to one's own computer or digital device.
-
Compare upload
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
downloadsimple
-
downloadssimple
-
have downloadedperfect
-
has downloadedperfect
-
am downloadingprogressive
-
are downloadingprogressive
-
is downloadingprogressive
-
have been downloadingperfect progressive
-
has been downloadingperfect progressive
Past
-
downloadedsimple
-
had downloadedperfect
-
was downloadingprogressive
-
were downloadingprogressive
-
had been downloadingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of download
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.
Vocabulary lists containing download
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Computer Science and Technology - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Distilling open-weight models, which are generally free to download and modify, is also widely accepted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Due for release on November 19, the highly anticipated "Grand Theft Auto VI" has also drawn criticism because its physical game box contains only a download code.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
“But I think in this case, unless they release the playable build for other people to download, I don’t think that it’s going to have a noticeable impact on their sales.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
He said a foreign actor could download the list and send an email to residents posing as the city asking for tax money.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Before they left the library, Nathan charged his phone and used the internet to update all his games as well as download new ones that didn’t require reception.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
The regulator said that while the company had followed all the correct procedures it had now "obtained the flight data recording downloads as well as other additional requirements" for further analysis.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
Digital downloads accounted for nearly 82 percent of game sales on the PS4 and PS5 at the start of 2026, Sony said in late July.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
Released in February, the app has roughly 110,000 downloads on Android, with most of the users in the United States and Canada, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
The FT’s article reports that the Chinese government discussed restricting the transfer of important data abroad and limiting the downloads of models by foreign users.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
“This thingy counts every step, and then at midnight it downloads so we can check each other’s numbers. First one who goes over or under ten thousand loses.”
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
Open-source AI models can be downloaded and adapted by users, unlike many AI systems that are controlled by a single company.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
The company touts open models, which can be downloaded and modified, as opposed to closed models like those of rivals OpenAI or Anthropic.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
"I told them I'd downloaded it, I tried to stop, but I'd obviously gone too far," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
He downloaded a template someone else had created, sent it to his printer and stuck the new part on the mixer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
I’d downloaded the show because it had been one of Halliday’s favorites, and I figured there was a chance that some clue related to the Hunt might be hidden in one of the episodes.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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
The immediate risk is a “harvest now, decrypt later” approach by bad actors, who are downloading large sets of encrypted data they can’t crack now—but could unlock once quantum computing algorithms are good enough.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 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
Eligible participants can add a driver’s license by downloading the DMV Wallet app or through Apple, Google and Samsung wallet apps and following the prompts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Even as I continue downloading information, I find myself distracted as the spotlights sweep over each team, hardly able to believe that I’m in the same space as them.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
