Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
shareware

shareware

3 6.3
A computer program you can try free before you pay to keep it
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɛrˌwɛr/
  • Specialized
translation icon : shareware
  • He downloaded some shareware to evaluate its features before buying the full version.
  • shareware program
  • freeware or shareware
  • shareware programs available

Examples

  • One of them was freeware, shareware and then regular commercial products.

  • For the Macintosh, Practica Musica by Ars Nova Software and Mac Voice (a shareware program) are available.

    Academic text (1993)

  • A lot of freeware, shareware, and the like was written back then.

    Blog text (26)

  • Lecturers usually use prototype systems developed by themselves or their colleagues or shareware programs.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The nature of shareware user apps is much like Android and iOS apps today... games.

    Blog text (28)

  • There are a large number of shareware/indie developers that are not part of the open source tribe.

    Blog text (28)

  • USEPA has selected Public Brand Software to distribute its shareware.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Two shareware programs are among the most popular of these: mIRC, for Windows, and Ircle, for Macintosh.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Please make this a downloadable program that saves to your desktop as a freeware/shareware program.

    Blog text (16)

  • Freeware and shareware should be checked out thoroughly for possible glitches, applicability, and usability.

    Academic text (2004)

Antonyms

proprietary
  • Specialized
57 7.0

A product owned and sold only by the company that made it

How Free

freeware
  • Specialized
4 3.9
shareware
  • Specialized
3 6.3
software product
  • Specialized
4 3.2

Surface Forms

shareware singular
sharewares plural

Morphology

shareware = share + ware (semi-transparent) = share + ware

The compound clearly combines 'share' + 'ware', but the precise business/licensing sense (trial/distribute-for-evaluation with optional payment) is a specialized extension not fully deducible from the components alone.

Etymology

Shareware comes from combining share ('give or use with others') and ware (short for software, meaning 'things for sale' or 'goods'). It was made for programs you can try or pass on to friends before you pay, so the name tells you it's software to 'share' before buying.