program
Americannoun
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programs
plural
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a plan of action to accomplish a specified end.
a school lunch program.
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a plan or schedule of activities, procedures, etc., to be followed.
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a broadcasted television or radio production or similar internet-based content produced for distribution.
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Also called computer program. Digital Technology. a precise sequence of instructions enabling a computer to perform a task; a piece of software.
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a collection of principles, actions, objectives, etc., established with a long-term goal in mind; platform; policy.
A review of our education initiatives and programs suggests we are meeting our goals.
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a list of items, pieces, performers, etc., in a musical, theatrical, or other entertainment.
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an entertainment with reference to its pieces or numbers.
a program of American and French music.
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a planned, coordinated group of activities, procedures, etc., often for a specific purpose, or a facility offering such a series of activities.
a drug rehabilitation program;
a graduate program in linguistics.
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a prospectus or syllabus.
a program of courses being offered.
verb (used with object)
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programs,
present (3rd person singular)
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programmed,
past participle, past
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programed,
past participle, past
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programming,
present participle
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programing
present participle
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to schedule as part of a program.
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Digital Technology. to write code for (a computer program or application).
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to insert or encode specific operating instructions into (a machine or apparatus).
We'll program the bells to ring at ten-minute intervals.
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to insert (instructions) into a machine or apparatus.
An automatic release has been programmed into the lock as a safety feature.
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to cause to absorb or incorporate automatic responses, attitudes, or the like; condition.
Our parents programmed us to respect our elders.
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to set, regulate, or modify so as to produce a specific response or reaction.
Program your eating habits to eliminate sweets.
verb (used without object)
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programs,
present (3rd person singular)
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programmed,
past participle, past
-
programed,
past participle, past
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programming,
present participle
-
programing
present participle
-
to plan or write a program.
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Digital Technology. to write computer code.
noun
verb
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(tr) to feed a program into (a computer)
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(tr) to arrange (data) into a suitable form so that it can be processed by a computer
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(intr) to write a program
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A organized system of instructions and data interpreted by a computer. Programming instructions are often referred to as code.
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See more at source code See also programming language
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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programsimple
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programssimple
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have programedperfect
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have programmedperfect
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has programedperfect
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has programmedperfect
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am programingprogressive
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am programmingprogressive
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are programingprogressive
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are programmingprogressive
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is programingprogressive
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is programmingprogressive
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have been programingperfect progressive
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have been programmingperfect progressive
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has been programingperfect progressive
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has been programmingperfect progressive
Past
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programedsimple
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programmedsimple
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had programedperfect
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had programmedperfect
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was programingprogressive
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was programmingprogressive
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were programingprogressive
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were programmingprogressive
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had been programingperfect progressive
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had been programmingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of program
First recorded in 1625–35; from Late Latin programma, from Greek prógramma “public notice in writing”; see pro- 2, -gram 1
Explanation
A program is a sequence or plan. At your niece's dance recital you may be dismayed to discover that her piece is 19th on the program. Settle in! Program comes from the Greek for "public notice." When you go to the theater, you'll be handed a program with the names of the play and the performers. We call television or radio shows programs, especially if they’re on regularly. If you're trying to get in shape, you'll need an exercise program. To program is to plan or organize something, or to write the code and execute the commands that make computers work.
Vocabulary lists containing program
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
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Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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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:
This program is still in the very early stages, with more guidance coming in the next few months.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
The administration argued the program had become permanent, in contrast with its intended purpose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
They can help you design a tailored exercise program.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
After the 1984 Olympics helped fund youth sports in L.A. for decades with a $230-million surplus, the 2028 Games have already jump-started adaptive sports opportunities as part of the PlayLA program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
“Do they have a space for you in the program next week?”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
But the programs that have stuck to the Southland have reaped the benefits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
In his third term, Lula has been credited with expanding social programs, a major overhaul of the tax system, and reducing deforestation in the Amazon.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
"None of our data acquisition programs buy and destroy rare or antiquarian books," they added.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
These programs collect both blood and post-mortem brain tissue from people with and without Alzheimer's.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Some described being transferred between bases eight or more times in as many years, in each instance needing to start over in settling their children into things like music lessons or enrichment programs.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Thirty years ago, we might have hailed as rare and consequential any dozen weeks in which music by a mere handful of living composers was programed as the regular course of a classical music season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2022
“That tells you that it really is more about cultural connection. It is about a nuance that is present in culturally programed content,” de Armas said.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 16, 2022
He explains how he would make dishes, and the robot would be programed to copy his movement.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2021
While it’s hard to know if this effort was coordinated, either one individual or several individuals appear to have programed numerous bots to help seed the conspiracy theory on Twitter.
From Slate ● Sep. 7, 2018
I vaguely remember a TV story from the 50s that showed a room size computer at DuPont that was programed to generate millions of syllables for prefixes and syllables for suffixes.
From New York Times ● Jan. 15, 2015
Male and female U1s can speak through an artificial intelligence tool programmed by the company to offer soothing words if it detects fatigue or stress, and get to know its user over time.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
Cells treated with PCAIs produced higher levels of reactive oxygen species, activated caspase enzymes, increased levels of the pro-apoptotic protein BAX, and underwent widespread apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 29, 2026
"But the robots are friendly, they're polite and they're programmed to be careful. They've slotted into everyday life in loads of communities since we started out in the UK back in 2018."
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
Bosses often struggle to get honest feedback from direct reports, who are “psychologically programmed to reassure” them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
“OK, if you’re both such experts, who programmed all of the Swordquest games?”
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
More Spheres would be bullish for the company because of royalty and other income, as well as the ability to distribute original programing in multiple locations.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025
Non-routine cognitive jobs include public relations and computer programing.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 17, 2024
Indeed, Kunst’s submission to the 2018 CRC points to this TV programing note in the Miami News for channel 10’s Florida Journal on Oct.
From Slate ● Jan. 18, 2024
It takes place in the break room of a local Hobby Lobby, on a deadly accurate set by Wilson Chin featuring a malfunctioning microwave on the counter and soporific motivational programing on the closed-circuit television.
From New York Times ● Feb. 21, 2023
The Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999 amended section 111 by substituting "statutory" for "compulsory" and "programming" for "programing," wherever they appeared.
From Copyright Law of the United States of America and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code, Circular 92 by United States
These three episodes are part of Disney’s programming marking the attacks’ 25th anniversary, and stream the following day on Disney+ and Hulu.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Within services, computer programming was also strong, the ONS’s McKeown said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Computer programming, advertising and the pharmaceutical industry were areas of strength, the ONS said.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Self-described “party historian” Willetts previously served as senior creative producer at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where she led festival programming and after-hours gallery events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
In a primitive form of interactive programming, members of the television audience phoned the studio to offer their suggested next move.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
