Definition of setup
1a : carriage of the body; especially : erect and soldierly bearingb : constitution, makeup
2a : the assembly and arrangement of the tools and apparatus required for the performance of an operationb : the preparation and adjustment of machines for an assigned task
3a : a table settingb : glass, ice, and mixer served to patrons who supply their own liquor
4a : a camera position from which a scene is filmed; also : the footage taken from one camera positionb : the final arrangement of the scenery and properties for a scene of a theatrical or cinematic production
5a : a position of the balls in billiards or pool from which it is easy to scoreb : a task or contest purposely made easyc : something easy to get or accomplishd : something (such as a plot) that has been constructed or contrivede : the execution of a planned scoring play in sports
6a : the manner in which the elements or components of a machine, apparatus, or system are arranged, designed, or assembledb : 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
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Examples of setup in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples of setup from the Web
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Sox closer David Robertson and setup man Tommy Kahnle were also rumored to be in possible deal with the Yankees, according to multiple reports.
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An hour on the range costs $16 to $20, and gun rentals run another $15 to $22 (plus a $2 first-time setup fee).
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Rice said the entertainment company headquartered in Los Angeles understands the setup of the ballpark, including the stage requirements.
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And the setup offers plenty of potential for future seasons.
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The theory behind that setup: Players who are injured won't step on court simply to collect their prize money as an entrant, before calling it a day without finishing the match.
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All that by-now-unnecessary setup is jettisoned to get to the fun stuff.
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The half-ton crew cab can accommodate five or six passengers, depending on the front-seat setup.
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The setup of the line of metal barriers that Saunders hit — because they were not secured together and their hard edges exposed — may have been what turned a frightening crash deadly.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'setup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
setup vs. set-up vs. set up
The noun setup is usually styled as a solid compound (that is, as a single word) in American English and as a hyphenated compound (set-up) in British English. The noun may be used attributively (that is, as an adjective) in such phrases as setup man (“someone who makes machine tool adjustments”) and setup tool (“software that facilitates the installation of a computer program”). The verb set up, on the other hand, is usually found as an open compound (two words, no hyphen) in both American and British English.
First Known Use of setup
1890
SETUP Defined for English Language Learners
setup
playDefinition of setup for English Language Learners
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: the process of making something (such as a machine or computer program) ready to be used
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: the way that something is done or organized
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: a situation in which someone is deliberately put in a bad position or made to look guilty
Learn More about setup
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See words that rhyme with setup Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for setup Spanish Central: Translation of setup Nglish: Translation of setup for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of setup for Arabic speakers
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