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.
Charging companies in the U.S. are on track to install about as many public EV plugs this year as in 2025, the industry’s record high.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
Starlink, owned by Musk's SpaceX, uses satellites in low Earth orbit to provide internet access, particularly in remote areas where mobile networks and broadband cables are difficult or expensive to install.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
I spent the summer watching farmers install showers for cows, watch their cauliflowers burn to a crisp in the heat, and search for apples in cider orchards reduced to a tenth of their normal crop.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Unified School District to add more security cameras on campus, install more safeguards along railings and ensure all campuses have police officers staffed on site.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Rudolph Giuliani, however, did not become mayor—and install Bratton— until early 1994.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
