install

American  

[in-stawl] / ɪnˈstɔl /

Or instal

verb (used with object)

1. to place in position or connect for service or use.

   to install a heating system;

   to install software on a computer.

2. to establish in an office, position, or place.

   to install oneself in new quarters.

3. to induct into an office or the like with ceremonies or formalities.

   Synonyms:

   receive, instate, invest

---

install British  

/ ɪnˈstɔːl /

verb

1. to place (machinery, equipment, etc) in position and connect and adjust for use

2. to transfer (computer software) from a distribution file to a permanent location on disk, and prepare it for its particular environment and application

3. to put in a position, rank, etc

4. to settle (a person, esp oneself) in a position or state

   she installed herself in an armchair

---

Other Word Forms

• installer noun
• preinstall verb (used with object)
• reinstall verb (used with object)

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.

Example Sentences

WCR was in a long-running dispute with the ORR about having to install central locking on its Mark 1 carriages to prevent passengers from opening doors when the train is moving.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

In 2013, the homeowners finally won approval to install geotubes on an emergency basis after a severe storm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

“There’s a million football plays, but if you just install stuff and you don’t actually get a rep of it, what’s the point, right? You can’t assess it on film,” Kennedy said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

This is a patch you can install before lunch.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

When the men came to install a telephone, the house still had a long way to go before it could be lived in.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

• build in
• fix
• inaugurate
• institute
• introduce
• invest
• lay
• place
• plant
• put in
• station