1
as in to put
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
set up tables in the living room for the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
set up a scholarship fund for deserving students from the inner city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to erect
to fix in an upright position
set up a post from which to hang the sign
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials
set up the prefabricated shed by following the instructions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to heal
to restore to a healthy condition
don't worry, the doctor will set you up in no time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in layout
the way in which something is sized, arranged, or organized
the textbook's setup calls for a list of questions at the end of each chapter
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in sequence
the way objects in space or events in time are arranged or follow one another
changed the setup of the living room furniture several times before being satisfied
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 set up
Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 8 Oct. 2025
One user suggested the parent directly contact the teacher and set up a meeting.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
The key was to leverage a setup known as a Josephson junction, pioneered by Nobel Laureate Brian Josephson back in 1962.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set up
Verb
ExpressVPN only takes around five minutes to set up, and also promises lightning-quick connectivity and 24-hour live-chat support, and allows users to connect to any device, from computers to phones to tablets.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 8 Oct. 2025
One user suggested the parent directly contact the teacher and set up a meeting.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
Nearly all of our bullish trade ideas over the past few months have been bullish pattern breakouts, which isn't surprising given that the broader market remains in an uptrend — naturally producing more of those setups.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
The key was to leverage a setup known as a Josephson junction, pioneered by Nobel Laureate Brian Josephson back in 1962.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for set up
Verb
-
Yousef Obeid kicked a 25-yard field goal with just over four minutes remaining to put the Bears up for good in Murfreesboo, Tennessee.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Green’s 11-yard touchdown run put Arkansas ahead 7-0.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Protect the football, establish balance early, and reduce penalties.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Democrats in Congress are withholding their votes on a government spending bill to demand that Republicans extend these subsidies, which lower the cost of insurance for people who buy their own health care coverage in marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act.—
Elena Shao,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While stadiums and luxury hotels are erected, hospitals remain overcrowded and rural areas underserved.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The group was later able to recover the statue — with the figures ripped from their pedestals and broken into pieces — and set about trying to re-erect it.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The broad international effort has built widespread support for the latest ceasefire and raised hopes that this one will last.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Considered one of the most precise and dependable strategic weapons ever built, the Trident II remains a cornerstone of the US and UK’s nuclear deterrence forces, operated by the US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs and the Royal Navy.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Deaunte Thomas is an artist deeply rooted in the Kansas City community, known not only for his versatile and compelling style but also for using his art to heal and bring people together.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Nature is almost like another character in the movie; there’s a spiritual side to nature that heals people.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Generic 3-Bedroom Prefab Tiny Home The tiny home is fully customizable, but the layout my teens like has three bedrooms, each fitting a full- to queen-sized bed, a living room, a full kitchen, and one bathroom with a stunning marble-like shower.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The street track’s layout is tight and twisty, one that’s hard on the brakes and leaves little room for error.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Julian got the sequence started.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The white bare trees evoke the antlers featured in the background of this sequence from 1952's Lovely to Look At, which Duquette designed specially with Vincente Minnelli (who directed only this scene in the Mervyn LeRoy film).—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
By analyzing discourses on development squarely within Native American studies, Yazzie situates capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism into the politics of nation-building.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Oct. 2025
-
We were situated in an immense valley peppered with boulders and desert agave plants—the site, Mikkelsen told me, of a winter village of the Kumeyaay people, who have inhabited the region for more than 10,000 years.—
Rosecrans Baldwin,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Set up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/set%20up. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share