: software designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning
Examples of malware in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Antivirus and CleanWeb block malware and phishing websites to ensure safety and security.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
The attack can bypass security safeguards in Edge, allowing a hacker to install malware, spy on the victim’s network, and steal data.
—PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2025
Why is internet security important? Internet security protects your personal data, devices and online activity from hackers, malware and identity theft.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
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Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Antivirus and CleanWeb block malware and phishing websites to ensure safety and security.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
The attack can bypass security safeguards in Edge, allowing a hacker to install malware, spy on the victim’s network, and steal data.
—PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2025
Why is internet security important? Internet security protects your personal data, devices and online activity from hackers, malware and identity theft.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malware
Cite this Entry
“Malware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malware. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
malware
noun
mal·ware
ˈmal-ˌwer 
: software that is designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning and that can be used to commit cybercrime (as by revealing passwords, PINs, and other sensitive data)
Etymology
mal- bad + software
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