configuration

noun

kən-ˌfi-gyə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce configuration (audio)
Definition of configurationnext
1
as in structure
the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form the basic configuration of the building is that of a geodesic dome

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2
as in layout
the way in which something is sized, arranged, or organized a small business computer system in its simplest configuration

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3
as in design
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged his photographs have an intentionally loose configuration, with no single object intended as the primary center of interest

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4
as in shape
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance a birthday cake in the configuration of a top hat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of configuration Exact numbers are fluid, because venue configurations are still being finalized. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 The 2026 Transit Cargo Van starts at $49,400 for the T-250 Regular configuration. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 But depending on the megaconstellation’s configuration, the sheer abundance of satellites might make avoiding them impossible, the study found. — Arielle Frommer, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026 Users can control features — temperature, lighting, seat configuration and music — both in the app and the vehicle, through multiple touchscreens inside the van. — Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for configuration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for configuration
  1. structure
  2. layout
  3. design
  4. shape
  5. framework
  6. formation
  7. format
  8. form
Noun
  • Local officials said some structures have already burned in the blaze.
    — Jenna Harrison, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Ask about the fee, set a payment structure, and clarify the boundary kindly.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of structure
Noun
  • Bitcoin got a boost after the White House hosted crypto leaders and urged Congress to pass the Clarity Act, a bill focused on crypto infrastructure and clearer layout on which federal agencies would regulate crypto.
    — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The layout of Homey, operated out of a hybrid office-store, unfolds residence-like, from living room to dining room, from kitchen to family room.
    — Judy Sutton Taylor, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of layout
Noun
  • If the show is now being repositioned as just for people who are fresh out of design school or who have made just one or two gowns before (like, cough, our beloved Jude), then say that.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Companies typically pass on at least some of those increases to workers, either through higher premium contributions or plan-design changes, such as larger deductibles or copays.
    — Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of design
Noun
  • Researchers spent decades trying to target a group of mutations called RAS — responsible for nearly a third of all human cancers — but the protein’s flat shape defied typical drugs.
    — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • And the collectors are looking for independent thinking, independent viewpoints, different designs, different shapes, different ideas.
    — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of shape
Noun
  • The plan is to establish a framework for a site-specific maritime nuclear readiness study at the Port of Corpus Christi.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Yet despite the mounting evidence, pregnant women are still only inconsistently recognized as a clinically vulnerable group across public health guidance and government frameworks.
    — Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of framework
Noun
  • The researchers argue that the enormous cliff system triggered prolonged erosion that stripped away vast amounts of rock and helped expose some of North America’s oldest geological formations.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Penn State campus happens to sit on a karst formation, where water has slowly altered limestone bedrock, potentially creating a variety of weak spots.
    — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of formation
Noun
  • Premium large format, or PLF, is intended for blockbuster feature films, which moviegoers are willing to pay a higher price to attend.
    — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Back in 2015, Parton and her team buried a chestnut box filled with physical copies of a brand new song in two formats, cassette and CD, along with their corresponding players, under her Dollywood DreamMore Resort and Spa.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of format
Noun
  • Finally, the market is watching SK Hynix, which will begin trading on Nasdaq on Friday local time in the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs).
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Changes include language that says a patron must request a meeting with the branch manager before submitting the reconsideration form, per the law.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of form

Browse Nearby Words

confiding
configuration
configurations
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Cite this Entry

“Configuration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/configuration. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on configuration

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about configuration

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