downloading

downloading — verb

1. to copy a file, program, or other data from a remote computer or online service

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to copy a file, program, or other data from a remote computer or online service and keep it on your own device

Example

Sivan downloaded the presentation slides from the company website before the meeting.

transitive: download + object + from + [source]

The new game is over 50 gigabytes and takes hours to download on a slow connection.

intransitive: [file/game] + takes time + to download

Common collocations
  • download a file / an app / software / an update
  • download from a website / the cloud / a server
  • download onto a phone / a tablet / a computer
  • download speed / download time
  • free to download
Synonyms
  • transfer

    broader meaning — can refer to moving data between any devices, not just from the internet

  • save

    focuses on storing a copy locally; downloading always involves saving, but you can save a file without downloading it

  • receive

    focuses on the act of getting data sent to your device, often used in technical contexts

Antonyms
  • upload

    the reverse action — sending data from your device to a server or the internet

Grammar Patterns

download + object (file, app, data)

download + object + from/onto + [source/location]

be downloading (progressive, intransitive)

Downloading + object (gerund as subject)

Usage Note

Common in computing and internet contexts. Frequently used in progressive tenses ('is downloading', 'was downloading') or as a gerund subject ('Downloading large files can be slow'). The base form 'download' is more common in commands and simple statements.

Common Mistakes

I downloaded my homework from the teacher.
I downloaded the homework assignment from the teacher's website.
The object of 'download' is the data, not the person who provides it.
Please download me the photos.
Please download the photos for me.
'Download' does not take an indirect object; use 'for me' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe getting data onto your device, but they differ in scope and context. 'Download' specifically means getting data from the internet or a remote server; it implies an online source. 'Transfer' is broader — data can move between any two devices, whether online or offline (e.g., via USB cable). 'Save' means storing a file that already exists on your device; you save a document after editing it, but you download it first. 'Receive' is passive: you receive emails or files that someone sends you — the focus is on the sender, not the action of requesting. 'Fetch' is more technical and often used in programming ('the app fetches data from the server'). For everyday use, 'download' is the clearest choice when the source is the internet.

transfersave ↗receive ↗fetch ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • available for downloading
  • start downloading
  • finish downloading
  • begin downloading
  • stop downloading

Prepositions

Etymology

EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining 'down-' (indicating movement from a higher or larger system to a smaller or local one) with 'load' (to put data into a computer's memory). The term emerged in the late 1970s as computer networking developed, originally describing the transfer of data from a mainframe computer to a smaller terminal or personal computer.