write

To put letters, words, or numbers on paper or a screen.

• Write your name here.
• I wrote the number on my hand.
• Can you write clearly with that pencil?

How to use it: write something on something (Write your address on this form.); write in something (Please write in black ink.)

Similar words: put down, record

Common phrases: write your name, write something down, write in pencil, write on paper

To create a book, story, article, piece of music, or computer program.

• She wants to write a book.
• He wrote the music for our school play.
• Have you ever written a computer program?

How to use it: write something about something (She wrote a novel about two sisters.)

Similar words: compose, create, author

Common phrases: write a book, write a song, write an article, write computer code

To send someone a letter or another written message.

• Please write to me soon.
• He wrote his mother a long letter.
• Have you written back to your friend?

How to use it: write to someone (I wrote to my aunt last week.); write someone something (She wrote me a lovely letter.)

Similar words: send a message, correspond

Common phrases: write to someone, write someone back, write a letter, write home

To tell someone a fact or idea using written words.

• She wrote that she was happy.
• He wrote to me that he needed help.
• The author writes that the town was once much larger.

How to use it: write that + clause (She wrote that the meeting had been cancelled.); write to someone that + clause (He wrote to us that he was moving abroad.)

Similar words: state, report

Common phrases: write that something, write to explain, write to inform

To save information in a computer's memory or on a storage device.

• The computer is writing data to disk.
• The program wrote a new file.
• Can this device read and write at the same time?

How to use it: write something to something (The program writes data to the disk.)

Similar words: store, save, record

Common phrases: write to disk, write a file, write data, write to memory

To create stories, articles, or other written works as a job or regular activity.

• She writes for a living.
• He wrote professionally for many years.
• Do you still write for that magazine?

How to use it: write for something (She writes for a local newspaper.); write for a living (He has written for a living since leaving university.)

Similar words: be an author

Common phrases: write for money, write for newspapers, write professionally, write full time

One action of saving data in computer memory or on a storage device.

• The write failed because the disk was full.
• This drive handles thousands of writes per second.
• Frequent writes can shorten the life of flash memory.

Similar words: write operation

Common phrases: disk write, memory write, a failed write, write operation