Meanings
alternative Commonwealth UK vapourware
- uncountablecomputingAn advertised product, often computer software, the launch of which has not happened yet and might not ever happen.
Near-synonym: dreamware
3 more examples
Our hard-and-fast rule was that if we couldn't see it, it still resided in that special zone called "Vaporware."
1983, Recording Engineer/producer, volume 14, number 3, page 18Vaporware appeals widely to industrial and consumer buyers.
2015, Randall G. Chapman, BRANDS: a marketing gameSome would say that Microsoft engaged in a subtle form of vaporware by preannouncing its product before it was actually ready to be delivered, then, at the last minute, announcing a short delay.
2015, Richard Severson, Ethical Principles for the Information AgeSynonyms: dreamware
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn advertised product, often computer software, the launch of which has not happened yet and might not ever happen.
Origin
- Proto-Italic*kwapōs
- Latinvapor
- Old Frenchvapeur
- Old Frenchvapor
- Middle Englishvapour
- Englishvapor
- Proto-Indo-European*sem-
- Proto-Germanic*samþuz /*samftuz
- Proto-West Germanic*samft(ī)
- Old Englishsōfte
- Middle Englishsofte
- Englishsoft
- Proto-Germanic*warō
- Proto-West Germanic*waru
- Old Englishwaru
- Middle Englishware
- Englishsoftwarebf.
- Englishvaporware
Translations
Finnish vaporware, olematon tuote
- vaporwareadvertised computer product the launch of which is questionable
- olematon tuoteadvertised computer product the launch of which is questionable
French fumiciel
- fumicieladvertised computer product the launch of which is questionable
Indonesian peranti gaib
- peranti gaibadvertised computer product the launch of which is questionable
Cite this entry
vaporware. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vaporware
“vaporware.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vaporware. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vaporware,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vaporware.
Source: vaporware on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.