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

Derived Forms

• rearrangement
  noun

Etymology

Origin of arrangement

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

Explanation

When you organize things in an orderly way, the result is called an arrangement. If you admire your friend's arrangement of his living room furniture, you might go home and make a similar arrangement. Your brother might keep an arrangement of Lego creations on his desk, and you could put an arrangement of wildflowers in a vase in the middle of your kitchen table. Another kind of arrangement is one you make when you negotiate an agreement with another person: "We have an arrangement — she gives me a ride to school and I walk her dog in the afternoon." The Old French root, arengier, means "to set in a row."

Example Sentences

While the disparate elements that go into a given arrangement might appear jumbled on paper, one always senses the logic behind each piece.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

The White House has since set up an arrangement to test the most powerful models from the leading AI companies before they are released.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said as the organizing committee gets more clarity on the seating arrangement in each venue, fans will get their seat assignments.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

It could potentially prove challenging for those in charge of providing care, as the court has acknowledged that people's ability to express their attitude towards their care arrangement will vary from case to case.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

“Okay, Paris, I’d like to make a business arrangement with you. I’d like to rent this building for the next month. I’ll pay a generous rate.”

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

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