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Synonyms

download

American  
[doun-lohd] / ˈdaʊnˌloʊd /

verb (used with object)

  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

  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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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

  • downloadable adjective

Etymology

Origin of download

down 1 + load

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.

It may set an example for other strongmen too: Max is now available for download in dozens of countries allied with Moscow.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

But interest rapidly faded; by February the download pace had fallen to just over 1 million, according to market researchers.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

"So when you download software, when an SME uses the cloud, when a freelancer sells a design service abroad, there are no taxes at the border," she said.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

It performed well in tests, with download speeds consistently faster than NordVPN’s — often exceeding 100 Mbps — making it suitable for large file transfers.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

With the upgraded download she will be Zeta-2 for the rest of her life.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

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.