rig
Americanverb (used with object)
-
Chiefly Nautical.
-
to put in proper order for working or use.
-
to fit (a ship, mast, etc.) with the necessary shrouds, stays, etc.
-
to fit (shrouds, stays, sails, etc.) to the mast, yard, or the like.
-
-
to manipulate fraudulently.
Two leading companies in the industry were fined for rigging prices.
-
to assemble, install, or prepare (often followed byup ).
-
to furnish or provide with equipment, clothing, etc.; fit (usually followed by out orup ).
The ground crew rigged us out in leather helmets and bomber jackets.
noun
-
the arrangement of the masts, spars, sails, etc., on a boat or ship.
-
apparatus for some purpose; equipment; outfit; gear.
Bring your rod and reel and all the rest of your fishing rig.
This other PC over here is my main gaming rig.
-
Also called drill rig. the equipment used in drilling an oil well.
-
any combination trucking unit in which vehicles are hooked together, as a tractor-trailer.
-
any kind of truck.
-
a carriage, buckboard, sulky, or wagon together with the horse or horses that draw it.
-
Informal. costume or dress, especially when odd or conspicuous, or when designated for a particular purpose.
He looks quite nifty in a butler's rig.
verb phrase
-
rig up to equip or set up for use.
-
rig down to place in an inactive state, stowing all lines, tackles, and other removable parts.
verb
-
nautical to equip (a vessel, mast, etc) with (sails, rigging, etc)
-
nautical to set up or prepare ready for use
-
to put the components of (an aircraft, etc) into their correct positions
-
to manipulate in a fraudulent manner, esp for profit
to rig prices
to rig an election
noun
-
nautical the distinctive arrangement of the sails, masts, and other spars of a vessel
-
In full: drilling rig. the installation used in drilling for and exploiting natural oil and gas deposits
an oil rig
-
apparatus or equipment; gear
-
an amateur radio operator's transmitting and receiving set
-
a carriage together with one or more horses
-
an articulated lorry
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rigsimple
-
rigssimple
-
have riggedperfect
-
has riggedperfect
-
am riggingprogressive
-
are riggingprogressive
-
is riggingprogressive
-
have been riggingperfect progressive
-
has been riggingperfect progressive
Past
-
riggedsimple
-
had riggedperfect
-
was riggingprogressive
-
were riggingprogressive
-
had been riggingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rig
First recorded in 1480–90; 1930–35 rig for def. 2; probably from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian, Swedish rigg (noun), rigga (verb)
Explanation
When you rig something, you connect parts in a way that's so crazy it just might work. You could rig your jeans by using a paper clip to replace a button that pops. Rig can also describe deceiving people to achieve a certain outcome. Voting multiple times, purposely miscounting the number of votes a person received, even throwing out certain people's votes: these are all ways to rig an election. Outraged people say, "The election was fixed!" This doesn't mean it was repaired; it means it was rigged — fraud played a role in the outcome.
Vocabulary lists containing rig
Fear and Loathing in Cleveland: Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Song for a Whale
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Flying Machine" by Ray Bradbury
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
It feels more like something to be watched on the AV rig in a middle school social studies class.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
She first scatters AA-size batteries, pens and scissors on the table, and walks back to the nearby control rig to make the robot arms place each one inside the tray of a desk organizer.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
Key customers in the region such as Saudi Aramco and QatarEnergy suspended rig operations and announced security-related shutdowns, providing additional support for the argument to dump shares.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
But the rig did make me want to sprint everywhere—and I hate running.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
“How different can it be from fixing a rig? I just need my tools.”
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
This year’s negative prices were too much for some producers, who turned drilling rigs away from their gassier prospects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Find insight on crude futures, oil rigs, the Strait of Hormuz and more in the latest Market Talks covering energy and utilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Now, humans are directly guiding robots through expensive rigs that let them control the robots’ movements.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
Even as production systems and well construction constitute the bulk of the business, SLB doesn’t own traditional drilling rigs.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
Gale’s convinced the Capitol does it on purpose, rigs the drawings to add extra drama.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
Meanwhile, Eric pulls them around on a rug he rigged as a magic carpet and helps stack the blocks into towers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The president’s son was accused by his own former business partner of asking a UFC commentator whether Sunday’s fights were rigged and whether he should place a bet on the opening bout.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
Mangione has been hailed by some on social media as a modern Robin Hood, fighting against a rigged system on behalf of working people.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
We’re confused and conflicted because the game we thought we were playing turns out to be just as rigged against us as it is against everyone else.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
Got the winch rigged at the deep end of the dock, to pull the Mary Rose free of the shore.
From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick
The ship lacks the usual clanging metal rigging of a modern sailboat, so the two-hour, $80 journey was nearly silent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Instead, they were allegedly responsible for the outright rigging of games—and persuaded more than three dozen players to go along with it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026
The controversy around Ms Dzafce is a postscript to a chaotic Miss Universe pageant hosted in Thailand that had been hounded by walkouts and allegations of rigging.
From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2025
Franglen's creations included a long-necked lute, similar to a Turkish saz, with strings that represent the rigging of the Wind Traders' ship.
From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2025
“I’ll go start rigging up the bug,” Roy said.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
