update
Americanverb (used with object)
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updates,
present (3rd person singular)
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updated,
past participle, past
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updating
present participle
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to bring (a book, figures, or the like) up to date as by adding new information or making corrections.
to update a science textbook.
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Computers. to incorporate new or more accurate information in (a database, program, procedure, etc.).
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to bring (a person, organization, etc.) up to date on a particular subject.
The magazine article will update you on the international situation.
noun
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updates
plural
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an act or instance of updating.
to make an update in a financial ledger.
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information or data used in updating.
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an updated version, model, or the like.
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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updatesimple
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updatessimple
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have updatedperfect
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has updatedperfect
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am updatingprogressive
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are updatingprogressive
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is updatingprogressive
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have been updatingperfect progressive
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has been updatingperfect progressive
Past
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updatedsimple
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had updatedperfect
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was updatingprogressive
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were updatingprogressive
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had been updatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of update
Explanation
When you renovate or improve something, changing it to make it more modern, you can say you update it. The process of doing this can also be called an update. If you decide to download the latest version of an app or program, you update it, and when you add recent information to your resume before starting a job search, you also update that. You might also update your friends about your job hunt, letting them know you're seeking employment — you're giving them the latest information, or an update. The verb dates from the 1940s.
Vocabulary lists containing update
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:
Renfrewshire Council said Friday's programme would go ahead as planned, but that an update on Saturday's events would be provided closer to the time.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Moody’s is set to update its rating on France’s debt after U.S. markets close on Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
The rating agency Moody’s is due to update its rating on France’s debt after U.S. markets close later on Friday.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
A fix was released Wednesday, with the PHP Foundation telling the tech departments of companies and organisations around the world: "If you run PHP, it is imperative that you update now."
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
“We’ll update Auntie North first thing in the morning.”
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
In the event of a severe power cut, FM radio will be the best way to receive these updates.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
"It was also a bit nerve-racking as anyone who has applied software updates before would know, there's always a chance than an update can cause other issues," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
"Clear earnings beats and constructive corporate updates are helping to ease some of the AI anxiety that has surfaced in recent sessions," Tim Waterer of KCM Trade said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
Financial results are somewhat of a sideshow for an investor base eagerly awaiting updates on robotaxis, robots — and the cost of all that.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
In other news, the Weed continues to send useless updates of his trials in the kingdom of the goblins.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
The diagnostic criteria for MS was updated two years ago, with the aim of expediting diagnosis so treatment begins sooner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
To make observations collected over different periods directly comparable, the scientists revisited older data using updated analytical methods.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Yet Adura's updated environmental impact assessment, ordered by the Court of Session, says that emissions from Jackdaw would "not materially influence" global warming.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
"Now consumers are going to have the same experience of getting everything updated often and fast," he wrote on X.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
On March 11, standing before a map of Cuba on a podium in the Cabinet Room, the CIA’s Richard Bissell updated Kennedy on the plan.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Dane Knecht, chief technology officer at internet infrastructure firm Cloudflare, said he was, external "seeing early attacks emerging and are updating mitigations as new vectors show up".
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
The underwater test-fire of the "super-speed" Zam-2.0 torpedo system took place on Thursday "to confirm the successful technical updating" of the weapon, the Korean Central News Agency said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
District Court in Chicago, for example, is updating its insider-trading policies to prohibit employees from using on-the-job information to make prediction wagers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
“They can return their ballot without updating their information,” Martinez said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
He was updating the third edition of a Dictionary of Biology for a small publishing house.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
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