install
Americanverb (used with object)
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to place in position or connect for service or use.
to install a heating system;
to install software on a computer.
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to establish in an office, position, or place.
to install oneself in new quarters.
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to induct into an office or the like with ceremonies or formalities.
verb
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to place (machinery, equipment, etc) in position and connect and adjust for use
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to transfer (computer software) from a distribution file to a permanent location on disk, and prepare it for its particular environment and application
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to put in a position, rank, etc
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to settle (a person, esp oneself) in a position or state
she installed herself in an armchair
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of install
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word installāre. See in- 2, stall 1
Explanation
Use the verb install to mean "set up" or "put in place." You can install new software on your computer, or even install new officers to your honor society. The word install traces back to the Latin word installare, from in-, meaning “into,” and stallum, meaning “place” or “stall.” Install has to do with putting someone or something in a chosen place. For example, you might install a solar panel on your roof, install your best friend in a cushy job at your company, or install yourself at the best table in your favorite restaurant.
Vocabulary lists containing install
Catching Fire
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The Distance Between Us
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"The Prince and the Pauper," Vocabulary from the drama
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Simon De La Rue is "confident" you can install solar panel sites and protect greenfield sites.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
But the sport is a pricey business endeavor: McCulloch said that the cost to install one padel court can be around $50,000 because of the glass and other materials for the walls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
It’s hard not to feel some kind of sympathy for Max, who sustained a severe brain injury while he was incarcerated that required surgeons to install a metal plate in his skull.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
There's only one drawback: "long separations from the family during assignments," he says from Kosovo, where he is helping install a wind farm.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Edwin showed Cole how to install the stovepipe through the roof, and then he and Garvey prepared to leave.
From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
