configure

American  

[kuhn-fig-yer] / kənˈfɪg yər /

verb (used with object)

configured, configuring

1. to design or adapt to form a specific configuration or for some specific purpose.

   The planes are being configured to hold more passengers in each row.

2. Computers.

   1. to put together (a computer or computer system) by supplying, arranging, or connecting a specific set of internal or external components.

      My next laptop will be configured for gaming with a fast processor and lots of memory.

   2. to set up (a software program or device) for a particular computer, computer system, or task.

      to configure the printer for a wireless network.

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configure British  

/ ˌkənˈfɪɡə /

verb

1. to arrange or organize

2. computing to set up (a piece of hardware or software) as required

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Other Word Forms

• configurable adjective
• preconfigure verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of configure

Back formation from configuration

Example Sentences

To configure an ExpressVPN connection on your router, you have three options:

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

The archbishop was free to configure it as a workplace, to choose its decorative furnishings and its degree of illumination.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

Parents also have tools, including the ability to configure settings on streaming accounts to try to shield children from inappropriate content.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025

In a new publication in Physical Review Letters, researchers in Amsterdam demonstrate a way to describe spin-boson systems and use this to efficiently configure quantum devices in a desired state.

From Science Daily • May 24, 2024

Guys like Dr. Strayer were hired to figure out how to configure networks and displays so that the information was useful and life- preserving—not overwhelming and deadly.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• construct