program
noun
pro·gram
| \ ˈprō-ˌgram
, -grəm
\
, -grəm
\
Definition of program
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
[ Late Latin programma, from Greek ]
: a public notice
2a
: a brief usually printed outline of the order to be followed, of the features to be presented, and the persons participating (as in a public performance)
b
: the performance of a program
especially
: a performance broadcast on radio or television
3
: a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal
4
: curriculum
5
: prospectus, syllabus
6a
: a sequence of coded instructions that can be inserted into a mechanism (such as a computer)
b
dated
: a complete plan for solving a problem by the use of a mechanism (such as a computer) that includes both instructions to be inserted into the mechanism and plans for human activities such as interpreting output
c
: the genes or sequences of DNA or RNA that are part of an organism or cell and encode or determine a process, trait, or behavior
… a mouse in which a tiny but crucial bit of the genetic program has been eliminated.— Bruce Fellman
also
: a process, trait, or behavior determined by or as if by the genetic material of an organism
Orb webs are marvels of geometry and construction. They are built according to a complex behavioral program, which is highly flexible in some respects and very precise in others. — Michael H. Robinson
program
verb
pro·gram
| \ ˈprō-ˌgram
, -grəm\
, -grəm\
variants:
or less commonly programme
programmed
or programed;
programming
or programing
Definition of program (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: to arrange or furnish a program of or for : bill
b
: to enter in a program
2
: to work out a sequence of operations to be performed by (a mechanism, such as a computer) : to provide with a program
3a
: to insert a program for (a particular action) into or as if into a mechanism (such as a computer)
b
: to control by or as if by a program
c(1)
: to code in an organism's program
(2)
: to provide with a biological program
cells programmed to synthesize hemoglobin
4
: to predetermine the thinking, behavior, or operations of as if by computer programming
children are programmed into violence— Lisa A. Richette
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Other Words from program
Verb
programmability
\ (ˌ)prō-ˌgra-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē
\
noun
\
noun
programmable
\ ˈprō-ˌgra-mə-bəl
\
adjective or noun
\
adjective or noun
Synonyms for program
Synonyms: Noun
agenda, calendar, docket, schedule, timetable
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Examples of program in a Sentence
Noun
a program of regular dental checkups the program will tell us the scheduled order of musical numbersVerb
He programmed the computer to calculate his monthly expenses and earnings. She is learning how to program in school. Can you help me program my cell phone?
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The program, known as Bernie Sanders Summer School, combines homework assignments with a series of hour-long webinar classes, which participants must complete before their induction into the official organizing effort. — Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, "Bernie Sanders’s Enduring Appeal to the Youth Vote in Iowa," 11 Sep. 2019 The program at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York will begin just before 8:46 a.m., marking the moment in 2001 when Flight 11 struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. — John Bacon, USA TODAY, "New York and the nation solemnly mark 18th anniversary of 9/11 terror attack," 11 Sep. 2019 Givens runs the Givens Back Foundation, which supports inner-city baseball and education programs, as well as providing support for several team initiatives. — Jon Meoli, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles and manager Brandon Hyde admire Dodgers’ platoon system," 11 Sep. 2019 Whiteford has a terrific program, posting a 37-2 record over the last three seasons, including the 2017 D-8 state title. — Mick Mccabe, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan high school football: Son of Swami tells us who'll win in Week 3," 11 Sep. 2019 The new loyalty program, called Target Circle, will be available to customers in the United States beginning Oct. 6. — Alyssa Newcomb, NBC News, "How Target's new loyalty program could change family shopping habits," 10 Sep. 2019 If your card offers a rewards program, its terms might be included in the general card agreement or in a separate document. — Washington Post, "Millennial Money: Decode your credit card terms like a pro," 10 Sep. 2019 Georgia, who moved to London in 2015 to complete a one-year fashion program at Central St Martins in London, went on to graduate from the University of Westminster in 2019 with a BA in fashion design. — Sara Radin, Teen Vogue, "Designer Georgia Fallon Makes Bright Bodysuits That Celebrate the Beauty of Lesbian Culture," 10 Sep. 2019 The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14 in the Playhouse’s Mandell Weiss Theatre; proceeds go toward the theater’s artistic, education and outreach programs, including those benefiting military families. — James Hebert, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Who leader Pete Townshend and director Des McAnuff reuniting at La Jolla Playhouse for ‘Tommy’ concert," 10 Sep. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Had Stockfish been programmed to try to draw, instead of playing moves that were meant to give it the greatest chance to win, the draw rate would have been even higher. — Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, "Magnus Carlsen Was Defeated, But the Draw Remains Dominant in Chess," 30 Aug. 2019 The enemy of all movie villains (and heroes) who want to program nuclear bombs when they are not supposed to is the Permissive Action Link. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Hollywood Has No Idea How Nukes Work," 2 Apr. 2018 Traditionally, engineers build a device out of a set of materials and then program it. — Los Angeles Times, "This 3D-printed robot assembles itself and then rolls away," 22 Aug. 2019 The explosion of cable networks has created endless sports-programming needs to fill. — Anchorage Daily News, "The World Cup has been a smash. But women’s soccer still craves an elusive goal: lasting impact," 7 July 2019 More programs The library in recent years has drastically increased the amount of programming it schedules. — Tyler Langan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Germantown library aims to change perception of public libraries in the 21st century," 24 May 2018 The bowl's shape and the equipment inside will work with a series of speakers that are programmed so audience members seated throughout the space will hear the dialogue at the same time, Timmerman said. — Domenica Bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star, "See the first changes that will transform west side's Riverside Park over the next 25 years," 24 July 2019 Learning how to adapt in the real world isn’t a task that can be programmed. — Fortune, "eBay CEO: Why We Should Teach All Students to Code," 20 July 2019 Cubetto is a wooden robotic toy, which can be programmed by kids as young as three years. — Parul Agrawal, Quartz India, "In India, toddlers are starting to write computer codes before they can talk," 11 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'program.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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