update

1 of 2

verb

up·​date ˌəp-ˈdāt How to pronounce update (audio) ˈəp-ˌdāt How to pronounce update (audio)
updated; updating; updates
Synonyms of updatenext

transitive verb

: to bring up to date

intransitive verb

: to become up to date
My computer updated overnight.
updatable adjective
or updateable
ˌəp-ˈdā-tə-bəl How to pronounce update (audio)
ˈəp-ˌdā-
updatable software
updater
ˌəp-ˈdā-tər How to pronounce update (audio)
ˈəp-ˌdā-
noun

update

2 of 2

noun

up·​date ˈəp-ˌdāt How to pronounce update (audio)
1
: an act or instance of updating
2
: current information for updating something
3
: an up-to-date version, account, or report

Synonyms of update

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of update in a Sentence

Verb I need to update my address book. update all the population figures She wants to update her wardrobe. Noun I haven't heard the latest weather update. You can download updates for free.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Inside, the layout is similar too, though it has been updated. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 As with flu vaccines, protection provided by Covid shots is greatest a few weeks after someone gets them, and vaccine formulations are updated each season to best respond to an evolving virus. — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
The agency’s update marks a significant expansion in the outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne illness that often leads to watery, sometimes explosive, diarrhea. — Lauren Dunn, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2026 But those updates still have not appeared on public outbreak pages for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Food and Drug Administration, and Americans are struggling to understand the risk of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for update

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1941, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1961, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of update was in 1941

Rhymes for update

See All Rhymes for update

Browse Nearby Words

upcycle
update
Updike
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Update.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/update. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

update

1 of 2 verb
up·​date ˌəp-ˈdāt How to pronounce update (audio)
: to bring up to date

update

2 of 2 noun
up·​date ˈəp-ˌdāt How to pronounce update (audio)
1
: an act or instance of updating
2
: an up-to-date version, account, or information

More from Merriam-Webster on update

Nglish: Translation of update for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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