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.
It’s hard not to feel some kind of sympathy for Max, who sustained a severe brain injury while he was incarcerated that required surgeons to install a metal plate in his skull.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
There's only one drawback: "long separations from the family during assignments," he says from Kosovo, where he is helping install a wind farm.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
The owners are hoping to install a salary cap for the first time in history, in large part to rein in the Dodgers and their gigantic budgets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
"As this report shows we have worked hard to fix this, with install rates up by nearly 50% since 2024," it said.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
By “babbitt” he no doubt meant that Rice should install the metal casings in which the bearings were to sit.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Definitions 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.
