setup

American  

[set-uhp] / ˈsɛtˌʌp /

noun

setups plural

1. organization; arrangement.

2. an act or instance of setting up or getting ready.

   The setup of the lights and camera took most of the morning.

3. the carriage of the body; bearing.

4. a camera position, as for a particular shot.

5. everything required for an alcoholic drink except the liquor, as a glass, ice, and soda water, as served to patrons who provide their own liquor.

6. Informal.

   1. an undertaking or contest deliberately made easy.

   2. a match or game arranged with an opponent who can be defeated without risk or effort.

   3. an opponent easy to defeat.

7. Sports.

   1. a shot or play that results in a puck, shuttlecock, ball, or balls being so positioned as to provide a player with an easy opportunity for a winning shot.

      a playmaker who excels in setups.

   2. the position of such a puck, ball, etc..

      a setup close to and to the left of the goalkeeper.

   3. the puck, ball, etc., itself.

      The wing banged the setup into the goal.

8. an arrangement of all the tools, parts, apparatus, etc., necessary for any of various specific jobs or purposes.

9. the equipment or items necessary for a particular activity or period; kit.

   Each student gets a weekly setup of clean blankets, sheets, and towels.

10. a plan or projected course of action.

11. a prearranged situation or circumstance, usually created to fool or trap someone; trick; scheme.

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Usage

See login.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• setups
  plural

Etymology

Origin of setup

First recorded in 1600–10; noun use of verb phrase set up

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

setup setups

The market has been signaling anxiety around that setup ahead of central bank’s next policy decision on Wednesday.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026

But after a familiar setup, the movie stubbornly refuses to go in compelling new directions or offer fresh observations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Doctor groups representing radiologists, anesthesiologists and emergency-room physicians have been among the winners under the setup, which was created under a 2020 law meant to protect patients from surprise medical bills.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

"We generated plasma at the water surface while simultaneously introducing gas into the PFAS-contaminated water," says Sebastian Reinecke, explaining the experimental setup.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026

We’d agreed that this is the best setup for video chatting with Dad as he sometimes starts asking about Mom’s buying habits if he glimpses anything new in the apartment.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

There were already about 100 to 200 fans in the park, about six hours before the first whistle; laughing, drinking, lending a hand to vendor setups.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

If you’re the type who likes to be ready at the drop of a hat, try any one of these all-inclusive picnic setups, which include plates, silverware, cups and even a wine opener.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

By the early 1990s, some crews in the U.K. began throwing megaraves more spiritually akin to experiential carnivals than to more lowkey dance-floor-and-DJ setups.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026

But this is only a memory — a child’s version of an experience, filmed with all of the bright colors and simple setups of an illustration in a storybook.

From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026

I was pleasantly surprised when a bunch of kids added their names to volunteer for apartment setups and helping with free music lessons and tutoring for kids.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• composition
• foundation
• set-up
• structure
• system