configure

verb

con·​fig·​ure kən-ˈfi-gyər How to pronounce configure (audio)
especially British -ˈfi-gə
configured; configuring

transitive verb

: to set up for operation especially in a particular way
a fighter plane configured for the Malaysian air force

Examples of configure in a Sentence

The instructions tell you how to configure the kit correctly. The plane is configured for military use.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 1,800-square-foot layout was configured to work harder without sacrificing familiar sight lines. — Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026 Companies invest heavily in AI tools and agents, then configure them once and move on. — Haris Pylarinos, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 People who use the assistant should configure permissions carefully, though as Aten’s experience suggests, that precaution only goes so far. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026 Clicking the panel for this feature takes you to the Avira account to configure it online. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for configure

Word History

Etymology

Middle English configuren (as past participle configurid) "to model on, conform to," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French configurer "to compare, form," borrowed from Latin configūrāre "to mold, shape," from con- con- + figūrāre "to shape, form, make a likeness of" — more at figure entry 2

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of configure was in 1677

Phrases Containing configure

Rhymes for configure

See All Rhymes for configure

Browse Nearby Words

configurative
configure
confine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Configure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/configure. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

configure

verb
con·​fig·​ure kən-ˈfig-yər How to pronounce configure (audio)
configured; configuring
: to set up for operation especially in a particular way
ships configured for observation
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