hardware

hardware — noun

1. the pieces that make up a computing device and which you can physically handle —

1.nounB1
Definition

the pieces that make up a computing device and which you can physically handle — the screen, the keyboard and the internal boards and chips that together let the machine work

Example

João spent most of his savings on new hardware for his gaming computer setup.

hardware + for + purpose

Before you buy that new game, check whether your hardware can run it smoothly.

check whether your hardware can run [software]

Common collocations
  • new hardware
  • old hardware
  • network hardware
  • hardware upgrade
  • hardware failure
  • hardware store (for computer parts)
Synonyms
  • equipment

    broader in meaning — includes both physical and non-physical items

  • components

    emphasises individual parts inside a system

  • machinery

    implies larger, more mechanical systems; less common for personal computers

Antonyms
  • software

    the programs and data that run on hardware

Grammar Patterns

hardware + singular verb

no article before hardware (general meaning)

Usage Note

Uncountable noun — do not say 'a hardware' or 'hardwares'. To refer to one item, use 'a piece of hardware' or name the device (e.g. 'a printer', 'a hard drive').

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a hardware for my computer.
I need to buy some hardware for my computer.
hardware is uncountable; use 'some' or 'a piece of'.
The hardware are getting old.
The hardware is getting old.
hardware takes a singular verb.

2. metal items like nails, screws, hammers, and door fittings that people buy to bu

2.nounB2
Definition

metal items like nails, screws, hammers, and door fittings that people buy to build, mend, or install things inside their homes and outside in the garden

Example

Nikhil went to the hardware store to buy screws and a hammer for his shelves.

hardware store

The toolbox contains all the hardware needed for basic home repairs and small building jobs.

Common collocations
  • hardware store
  • cabinet hardware
  • hardware shop
  • hardware section
  • door hardware
Synonyms
  • tools

    focuses on instruments used with the hands, not fittings like screws or hinges

  • fittings

    refers specifically to items like handles, locks, and hinges attached to furniture or doors

  • ironmongery

    British term for the same category of metal goods; less common in American English

Grammar Patterns

hardware + singular verb

a hardware store / a piece of hardware

Common Mistakes

Can you pass me a hardware?
Can you pass me a hammer?
hardware is the category name, not a countable item. Use the specific tool name for individual objects.

3. large or powerful equipment used by the armed forces, including vehicles such as

3.nounC1
Definition

large or powerful equipment used by the armed forces, including vehicles such as tanks, aircraft, and weapons systems

Example

The general inspected the military hardware before sending it to the front line.

military hardware

Several countries spend billions each year on hardware for their air forces and navies.

Common collocations
  • military hardware
  • advanced hardware
  • heavy hardware
  • defence hardware
Synonyms
  • armaments

    more specific to weapons; narrower than hardware which includes vehicles too

  • weaponry

    emphasises weapons themselves, not support vehicles or equipment

  • equipment

    a general term; 'hardware' sounds more technical and formal in military contexts

Grammar Patterns

military hardware

hardware for [military purpose]

Usage Note

Common in news reports and formal analysis of armed forces. Frequently appears with 'military' (military hardware) but can also stand alone in context (e.g. 'the army's hardware').

4. a prize given to the winner of a sports contest, for example a league trophy or

4.nounC1
Definition

a prize given to the winner of a sports contest, for example a league trophy or an Olympic medal — used mainly in informal or sports-journalism language

Example

Jabari won the top hardware at the national judo championships last winter.

win + hardware

The team brought home the hardware after defeating their rivals in the final game.

bring home the hardware (idiomatic)

Common collocations
  • win hardware
  • bring home the hardware
  • Olympic hardware
  • top hardware
  • championship hardware
Synonyms
  • trophy

    more specific — usually a cup or decorative object; countable

  • medal

    a flat disc-shaped award; the most common term for Olympic awards; countable

  • prize

    the most general term; hardware implies a physical object like a cup or medal

Grammar Patterns

win + hardware

bring home + hardware

hardware + singular verb

Usage Note

This sense is informal and used mainly in American sports journalism. It is rarely used in everyday conversation. The phrase 'bring home the hardware' is a fixed expression meaning to win a championship trophy.

Common Mistakes

She won three hardwares at the Olympics.
She won three medals at the Olympics.
hardware is uncountable; use 'medal' or 'trophy' for countable items.

❌ 'I bought some hardware at the sports store.' (confused with sense 2) — In sports contexts, hardware only means prizes, not equipment.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While hardware refers specifically to the physical, touchable parts of a computer, equipment is a much broader term that can include tools, machines, and even clothing used for any purpose. Components emphasises the individual pieces that make up a larger system — you might buy a single component like a graphics card, but calling it 'hardware' groups it with the whole system. Machinery suggests larger, more mechanical systems with moving parts, like factory robots, and is rarely used for personal computers. Gear is informal and covers both hardware and accessories — 'gaming gear' might include a keyboard (hardware) plus a mouse pad (not usually called hardware). In a sentence: 'Before upgrading the computer's components, check whether the rest of the hardware is compatible with the new gear.'

equipment ↗componentsmachinery ↗gear ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • new hardware
  • old hardware
  • military hardware
  • network hardware

Phrases

  • piece of hardware
  • range of hardware

Prepositions

  • hardware for
  • hardware in

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Hardware is made from 'hard' (meaning firm, solid) and 'ware' (meaning manufactured goods). It was first used in the 1500s to describe metal goods like tools and kitchen items — the sense that survives today in 'hardware store'. In the 1940s, as computers were being developed, engineers borrowed the word to distinguish the physical machine ('hardware') from the programs ('software'), drawing on the same contrast between something solid and something changeable.