defragment

verb

de·​frag·​ment (ˌ)dē-ˈfrag-mənt How to pronounce defragment (audio)
defragmented; defragmenting; defragments

transitive verb

: to reorganize separated fragments of related data on (a computer disk) into a contiguous arrangement
defragmentation
(ˌ)dē-ˌfrag-mən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce defragment (audio)
-ˌmen-
noun

Examples of defragment in a Sentence

I defragmented my hard drive.
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.
The Neuroskeptic for two great posts on whether sleep give us a chance to defragment out brains, and how random chance acts as our third parent. Vaughan Bell for his look at riot psychology in the wake of the UK riots, and why crowd behaviour is a complex area that’s surprisingly poorly researched. — Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 2 Sep. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defragment was in 1983

Rhymes for defragment

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defragment
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Cite this Entry

“Defragment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defragment. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

defragment

verb
de·​frag·​ment (ˌ)dē-ˈfrag-mənt How to pronounce defragment (audio)
: to reorganize fragments of computer data on (a computer disk) into a continuous series
defragment the hard drive
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