arrangement

American  

[uh-reynj-muhnt] / əˈreɪndʒ mənt /

noun

1. an act of arranging; state of being arranged.

2. the manner or way in which things are arranged.

   a tactful arrangement of the seating at dinner.

3. a final settlement; adjustment by agreement.

   The arrangement with the rebels lasted only two weeks.

4. Usually arrangements. preparatory measures; plans; preparations.

   They made arrangements for an early departure.

5. something arranged in a particular way.

   a floral arrangement; the arrangement of chairs for the seminar.

6. Music.

   1. the adaptation of a composition to voices or instruments, or to a new purpose.

   2. a piece so adapted.

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idioms

1. final arrangements, the planning or scheduling of funeral services and burial.

   Final arrangements are still pending.

arrangement British  

/ əˈreɪndʒmənt /

noun

1. the act of arranging or being arranged

2. the form in which things are arranged

   he altered the arrangement of furniture in the room

3. a thing composed of various ordered parts; the result of arranging

   a flower arrangement

4. (often plural) a preparatory measure taken or plan made; preparation

5. an agreement or settlement; understanding

6. an adaptation of a piece of music for performance in a different way, esp on different instruments from those for which it was originally composed

7. an adaptation (of a play, etc) for broadcasting

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Other Word Forms

• rearrangement noun

Etymology

Origin of arrangement

From French, dating back to 1720–30; arrange, -ment

Example Sentences

It will want that arrangement to continue, and may also demand tolls from shippers, of the kind they pay to transit the Suez Canal.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

“There remains considerable uncertainty as to how the forward economics will work given the discretion in the forward flow arrangement and unknowns around the fee structures,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The very arrangement of seating at the Roman Games expressed the hierarchical nature of Roman society.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Because gastroliths are small and light-weight, their intact arrangement indicated that much of the skeleton might still be preserved within the rock.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Chicken gasped when he saw a papier-mâché hammerhead topping an arrangement of shark books.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

Related Words

• adjustment
• agreement
• compromise
• deal
• package
• plan
• preparation
• provision
• schedule
• settlement