WordGarden.ioprogram
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /prˈəʊɡræm/
US
- /ˈproʊˌɡræm/
Description
- planned set of steps
- TV or radio show
- computer instructions
- organized course
- schedule something into a system
A program is not just something you watch on TV. It can be a planned set of steps made to reach a goal. It can also be a show on television or radio, or a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do.
You may also hear it used for organized activities such as a school program, a health program, or a government program. As a verb, it can mean putting instructions into a machine or setting something to happen in a system. In every case, the idea is the same: something is arranged in a clear way for a purpose.
The word "program" is used in several connected ways, but the main idea is simple: it describes something arranged in advance for a purpose. One common meaning is a planned set of actions. A school may offer a reading program, a government may start a jobs program, and a person may follow a training program to get stronger. In these cases, the word points to an organized plan.
Another very common meaning is a show or set of shows, especially on television or radio. You can watch a news program, listen to a talk program, or check the printed program for a concert or play to see what will happen and in what order. This older sense of a listed plan of events helps explain the other meanings of the word.
In technology, a program is a set of instructions that tells a computer or another machine what to do. When someone writes code, they create a program that carries out tasks step by step. As a verb, "program" means to put those instructions into a machine or to set a device or system to do something at a certain time or in a certain way. You can program a computer, but you can also program a timer, a thermostat, or a recording device.
Across all of these uses, the central idea stays the same: a program is about order, purpose, and planned action rather than chance.
Examples
- 1
Television
I watched a cooking program after dinner.
- 2
Library activity
The library runs a summer reading program for children.
Pattern
run a program
organize and manage it
- 3
Job training
She joined a training program to learn new job skills.
- 4
Business support
The grant program helps small businesses buy new equipment.
- 5
Conference schedule
Can you send me the program for the conference?
Meaning
program
the schedule or list of events
- 6
Computer software
I closed the program and restarted my computer.
- 7
Translation software
This program can translate text into several languages.
- 8
Machine settings
We need to program the thermostat before we leave.
Pattern
program a machine
set it to work in a certain way
- 9
Robot behavior
The robot was programmed to stop if someone got too close.
Pattern
be programmed to do something
be set or trained to do it
See also
nounorganized set of activities designed for a purpose
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- improvisation
- one-off event
Do not confuse
- programme
Used with (collocations)
- training program
- government program
- program of events
- launch a program
Word family
Explore
- policy
- implementation
Forms and spellings
8 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- programAmericannounverb
Forms
- programsAmericanpluralnounverb
- programingAmerican-ing formverbnoun
- programedAmericanpast tenseverbnoun
Spelling variants
- programmeBritishnounverb
- programmingBritish-ing formverbnoun
- programmesBritishnounverb
- programmedBritishpast tenseverbnoun