user interface

noun

plural user interfaces
: software that is designed to allow a computer user to interact with the operating system of a machine or system (such as by selecting presented options or entering text commands)
Likewise, the user interface is remarkably unintuitive, requiring a whirlwind of relentless mouse clicking to move, talk, touch, look, or manipulate onscreen objects.—Scott A. May
… a new user interface he vows will change the way people use computers.—InfoWorld
especially : graphical user interface
—abbreviation UI

Examples of user interface in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Humans engaged user interfaces to command software and engage with outputs like dashboards, while APIs labored in the background. — George C. Lee Ii, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 However, the phone's user interface felt snappier to use than the 10 Pro Fold day in and day out during testing. — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 That is not the system being built by most of the companies riding the AI wave toward their next funding round, many of them little more than a polished user interface wrapped around someone else’s model. — Arya Rao, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026 Apple has not had much luck with recent changes to the user interface across its devices. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for user interface

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of user interface was in 1967

Rhymes for user interface

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Browse Nearby Words

user-friendly
user interface
username
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Cite this Entry

“User interface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/user%20interface. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

user interface

noun
: software that is designed to allow a computer user to interact with the operating system of a machine or system
especially : graphical user interface
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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