1
a
: carriage of the body
especially
: erect and soldierly bearing
b
2
a
: the assembly and arrangement of the tools and apparatus required for the performance of an operation
b
: the preparation and adjustment of machines for an assigned task
3
a
: a table setting
b
: glass, ice, and mixer served to patrons who supply their own liquor
4
a
: a camera position from which a scene is filmed
also
: the footage taken from one camera position
b
: the final arrangement of the scenery and properties for a scene of a theatrical or cinematic production
5
a
: a position of the balls in billiards or pool from which it is easy to score
b
: a task or contest purposely made easy
c
: something easy to get or accomplish
d
: something (such as a plot) that has been constructed or contrived
e
: the execution of a planned scoring play in sports
6
a
: the manner in which the elements or components of a machine, apparatus, or system are arranged, designed, or assembled
b
: the patterns within which political, social, or administrative forces operate : customary or established practice
8
: something done by deceit or trickery in order to compromise or frame someone
set up; setting up; sets up
1
a
: to raise to and place in a high position
b
: to place in view : post
c
: to put forward (something, such as a plan) for acceptance
2
a
: to place upright : erect
set up a statue
b
: to assemble the parts of and erect in position
c
: to put (a machine) in readiness or adjustment for an operation
3
b
4
: to place in power or in office
set up the general as dictator
6
a
: to put forward or extol as a model
b
: to claim oneself to be
sets himself up as an authority
7
: found, inaugurate
8
a
: to provide with means of making a living
set him up in business
b
: to bring or restore to normal health
c
: to cause (one) to take on a soldierly or athletic appearance especially through drill
9
: to erect (a perpendicular or a figure) on a base in a drawing
10
a
: to make taut (a stay or hawser)
b
: to tighten firmly
11
: to make carefully worked out plans for
set up a bank robbery
12
a
: to pay for (drinks)
b
: to treat (someone) to something
13
a
: to put in a compromising or dangerous position usually by trickery or deceit
b
14
: to execute one or more plays in preparation for scoring
1
: to come into active operation or use
2
: to begin business
3
: to make pretensions
has never set up to be a wise man—
Thomas Rogers
Thomas Rogers4
: to become firm
Synonyms
Examples of setup in a Sentence
Noun
Setup of the new software is a breeze.
It took me a while to learn the setup of the office's filing system.
We had a great setup. On my days off, my wife would work from home while I took care of the kids.
The software makes it easy to create custom setups.
Verb
set up tables in the living room for the party
set up a scholarship fund for deserving students from the inner city
Recent Examples on the WebEthan Millman, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
Just buy another unit, and add it to the mesh; the Deco app makes for easy setup.
—PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
The injuries have already started this year, with promising starter Gavin Williams (elbow inflammation), bullpen setup man Trevor Stephen (elbow surgery), and relievers Sam Hentges (middle finger inflammation) and James Karinchak (shoulder inflammation) all starting the season on the injured list.
—Jim Ingraham, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
This has led to speculation that the setup will be like that found in the new Range Rover Sport SV, according to Car and Driver.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024
The data shows that workers who swapped from fully remote to fully in-office setups last year received a 29.2% bump in their pay, as employers make up financially for the loss of flexibility.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
But the new setup is a bigger threat to representative government than even the old capitalism was.
—Sheelah Kolhatkar, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
This setup means the integrity of the electoral process was not impacted, the commission says; however, a huge amount of data may have been taken by the hackers.
—Matt Burgess, WIRED, 25 Mar. 2024
Despite going for some pretty broad tropes in the setup, Calderón Kellett is proving herself worthy of carrying the late master’s torch into the realm of theater.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Mar. 2024
Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
LinkedIn and other networking platforms are a preferred way to set up dates over popular dating apps like Bumble, according to a recent survey of singles conducted by DatingNews.com.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
The film was initially set up to be a Netflix production, but eventually moved to Warner Bros. Annette Bening, Penelope Cruz and Peter Sarsgaard are set to star alongside Buckley and Bale.
—Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
The cure set up nicely and the tart shell was a hit!
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024
The group arrived on October 17, ten days before the eclipse, giving the researchers time to set up their instruments, calibrate the clocks and determine their latitude.
—Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
This section can also be used to set up content restrictions depending on the type of app.
—Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
With funding from the Emirati government, his group organized an initial food shipment from Cyprus and set up more than 60 kitchens in Gaza producing thousands of meals a day.
—Ashraf Khalil, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
His allies have set up a new joint fundraising committee, called the Trump 47 Committee.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
Noun
Springsteen maintains a remarkably simple setup and show presentation compared to the other blockbuster live shows currently on the road.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
Just buy another unit, and add it to the mesh; the Deco app makes for easy setup.
—PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
The injuries have already started this year, with promising starter Gavin Williams (elbow inflammation), bullpen setup man Trevor Stephen (elbow surgery), and relievers Sam Hentges (middle finger inflammation) and James Karinchak (shoulder inflammation) all starting the season on the injured list.
—Jim Ingraham, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
This has led to speculation that the setup will be like that found in the new Range Rover Sport SV, according to Car and Driver.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024
The data shows that workers who swapped from fully remote to fully in-office setups last year received a 29.2% bump in their pay, as employers make up financially for the loss of flexibility.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
But the new setup is a bigger threat to representative government than even the old capitalism was.
—Sheelah Kolhatkar, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
This setup means the integrity of the electoral process was not impacted, the commission says; however, a huge amount of data may have been taken by the hackers.
—Matt Burgess, WIRED, 25 Mar. 2024
Despite going for some pretty broad tropes in the setup, Calderón Kellett is proving herself worthy of carrying the late master’s torch into the realm of theater.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Mar. 2024
Verb
The four-story building was set up to hold 300 diners, with an additional 200 in the basement club.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
LinkedIn and other networking platforms are a preferred way to set up dates over popular dating apps like Bumble, according to a recent survey of singles conducted by DatingNews.com.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
The film was initially set up to be a Netflix production, but eventually moved to Warner Bros. Annette Bening, Penelope Cruz and Peter Sarsgaard are set to star alongside Buckley and Bale.
—Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
The cure set up nicely and the tart shell was a hit!
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024
The group arrived on October 17, ten days before the eclipse, giving the researchers time to set up their instruments, calibrate the clocks and determine their latitude.
—Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
This section can also be used to set up content restrictions depending on the type of app.
—Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
With funding from the Emirati government, his group organized an initial food shipment from Cyprus and set up more than 60 kitchens in Gaza producing thousands of meals a day.
—Ashraf Khalil, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
His allies have set up a new joint fundraising committee, called the Trump 47 Committee.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'setup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of setup was
in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near setup
Cite this Entry
“Setup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/setup. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
setup
1 of 2 noun
set·up
ˈset-ˌəp 
: the way in which something is set up : organization, arrangement
set up
2 of 2 verb(ˈ)set-ˈəp
1
: to place in position
set up a target
2
a
: erect entry 2 sense 1
set up a building
b
: to assemble the parts of
set up a machine
3
: to cause to happen
the wind sets up a humming in the wires
4
: to put in operation : found, inaugurate
set up a school
5
: to put in operation as a way of living
set up housekeeping
More from Merriam-Webster on setup
Nglish: Translation of setup for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of setup for Arabic Speakers
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