install

IPA/ɪnˈstɔːl/
KK[ˌɪnstˈɔl]IPA/ɪnˈstɔːl/

install — verb

  • installpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • installshe / she / it
  • installedpast simple
  • installing-ing form

1. to put any machine, built-in fixture (such as a kitchen cabinet), or other devic

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to put any machine, built-in fixture (such as a kitchen cabinet), or other device into the correct place and connect or prepare it so that it functions properly.

Example

Christopher hired a team to install the new air-conditioning system in his office.

install + [equipment] + in [location]

The landlord paid a plumber to install a modern shower in the upstairs bathroom.

Common collocations
  • install equipment
  • install a system
  • install a device
  • install fixtures
Synonyms
  • fit

    focuses on making something the right size and shape to go somewhere, often by attaching it

  • mount

    specifically means to fix something onto a wall, frame, or support surface

  • set up

    broader; includes equipment that needs assembling but not necessarily connecting

Antonyms
  • remove

    to take something away from where it was fixed or connected

  • uninstall

    to remove installed equipment or software from its position

Grammar Patterns

install + [equipment] + in/on [location]

Usage Note

The object is usually something that needs connecting (wiring, pipes, fittings), not freestanding furniture. A table is set up or put in place, not installed.

Common Mistakes

I installed the new sofa in my living room.
I placed the new sofa in my living room.
'install' is used for equipment that needs connecting or fixing in place, not for movable furniture like a sofa.
The mechanic installed a new tyre on my car.
The mechanic put a new tyre on my car.
'install' is for built-in components; a tyre is fitted or put on.

2. to add a computer program or application to a computer, phone, or other device s

2.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to add a computer program or application to a computer, phone, or other device so that it can be used.

Example

Élise installed a photo-editing app on her laptop before the trip.

install + [app] + on [device]

The IT department installed security software on every office computer last week.

Common collocations
  • install software
  • install an app
  • install a program
  • install an update
  • install on a device
Synonyms
  • load

    informal; can mean the same thing in computing contexts ('load the software')

  • set up

    can refer to the full configuration process including installation steps

Antonyms
  • uninstall

    to remove a program from a device

  • remove

    general term for deleting a program

Grammar Patterns

install + [software/app] + on [device]

Usage Note

This sense is restricted to software and programs. For media files (movies, music, documents), use 'download' or 'save' instead. The preposition 'on' is more common than 'onto' in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

I installed the movie from the internet.
I downloaded the movie from the internet.
'install' is for programs and apps, not media files.
The game is installing at my computer.
The game is installing on my computer.
the preposition should be 'on', not 'at'.

3. to officially give someone an important role or job, usually during a formal cer

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to officially give someone an important role or job, usually during a formal ceremony.

Example

Dahlia was installed as the head of the research department in a special ceremony.

passive: be installed as [position] + ceremony

The university installed a new president during the graduation ceremony.

Common collocations
  • install a president
  • install a director
  • install a chief
  • be installed in office
Synonyms
  • appoint

    more general; does not imply a ceremony and can be used for any job level

  • induct

    more formal; specifically means to formally introduce someone into an official position or group

  • inaugurate

    even more formal; used for very high offices like a president or mayor, with a public ceremony

Antonyms
  • dismiss

    to remove someone from their position

  • remove

    general term for taking someone out of a role

Grammar Patterns

be installed as [position]

install + [person] + in/into [role]

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice (be installed as + position). Distinguish from 'appoint': 'install' suggests a formal event or ceremony, while 'appoint' simply means giving someone a job.

Common Mistakes

The company installed a new receptionist last week.
The company hired a new receptionist last week.
'install' is for positions of authority, not for regular jobs.
They installed him as manager in a five-minute meeting.
They appointed him as manager in a five-minute meeting.
'install' suggests a ceremony; for simple decisions, use 'appoint'.

4. to put yourself or someone else in a comfortable place or position, with the int

4.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to put yourself or someone else in a comfortable place or position, with the intention of staying there for a while.

Example

Allison installed herself in the armchair by the window with a good book.

reflexive: install yourself in [place]

The cat installed itself on the warm rug in front of the fireplace.

Common collocations
  • install yourself in
  • install yourself on
  • be installed in a chair
  • be installed on a sofa
Synonyms
  • settle

    more common and less formal; 'settle into a chair' is everyday language

  • plant yourself

    informal; suggests sitting down heavily or stubbornly

  • ensconce

    more formal and literary; means to settle comfortably in a safe or secret place

Grammar Patterns

install + [reflexive pronoun] + in/on [place]

be installed + in/on [place]

Usage Note

Almost always used with a reflexive pronoun (install yourself, install himself, etc.) or with a person as the object. The position is described with a prepositional phrase (in, on, by).

Common Mistakes

She installed on the sofa.
She installed herself on the sofa.
this sense requires a reflexive pronoun; 'install' must have an object.
He installed in the chair for a minute.
He sat in the chair for a minute.
'install yourself' implies settling in for a longer stay, not a brief moment.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Install, fit, mount, and set up all describe putting something into place, but they differ in emphasis. Install stresses connecting or preparing something so it works — you install an air conditioner because it needs wiring and mounting. Fit focuses on making something the right shape or size for a space — you fit a new door into its frame. Mount means to attach something onto a surface or support — you mount a TV on the wall or mount a painting. Set up is the broadest term and often implies assembling separate pieces — you set up a tent, a sound system, or a home office. In everyday speech, set up can replace install for many devices: 'I need to install / set up my new printer.' However, for built-in systems that require professional connection (gas, water, electricity), install is the expected word.

install ↗fit ↗mount ↗set up ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • install a new [system/device]
  • have something installed
  • get something installed
  • be installed as [position]
  • install yourself in [place]

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Install comes from the Latin word installare, made up of in- ('into') and stallum ('a standing place or stall'). In medieval Latin, it first referred to placing someone in an official seat or church position — a 'stall' in a cathedral. English adopted the word through Old French installer in the 1500s, keeping the ceremony of placing someone in office. By the 1600s, the word broadened to any act of putting equipment into position. The modern computing sense — putting software onto a computer — appeared in the 1960s alongside the rise of computer programming.