configuring

configuring — verb

1. put the separate parts of an object or space together so that they take on a par

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

put the separate parts of an object or space together so that they take on a particular shape, layout, or order.

Example

Niran spent the morning configuring the wooden blocks into a small castle for his nephew.

configure X into Y

The exhibition halls had been configured around a long central walkway leading to the entrance.

passive: be configured around

Common collocations
  • configuring the layout
  • configuring the seating
  • configuring the space
  • be configured around
  • be configured as
Synonyms
  • arrange

    everyday word; less emphasis on a fixed end-form

  • lay out

    phrasal; common for rooms, plans, or pages

  • structure

    more abstract; about overall organisation

Antonyms
  • dismantle

    take a configured object back into separate parts

Grammar Patterns

configure something into / as

be configured around

Usage Note

Often appears in passive constructions ('the room is configured to / as / around…'). Distinguish from sense 2: this one is about how physical or spatial parts come together, not about adjusting computer or software settings.

Common Mistakes

I am configuring my hair before the wedding.
I am styling my hair before the wedding.
'configure' refers to multi-part objects or layouts, not personal grooming.
They configured the rope into a knot.
They tied the rope into a knot.
for single flexible items, use 'tie', 'shape', or 'fold'; reserve 'configure' for multi-part arrangements.

2. change the settings on a computer, a phone, or a piece of software so that it be

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

change the settings on a computer, a phone, or a piece of software so that it behaves the way you want or fits the job you need it for.

Example

Femi is configuring the office Wi-Fi to give guests their own separate network.

configure X to do Y

Configuring the new database took the IT team almost a full week.

gerund as subject

Common collocations
  • configuring a device
  • configuring a server
  • configuring software
  • configuring settings
  • configuring a network
  • configuring to do something
Synonyms
  • setting up

    broader; can include unboxing and installation, not just option changes

  • customizing

    stronger sense of tailoring to personal taste

  • tuning

    informal; minor adjustments rather than full setup

Antonyms
  • resetting

    returning settings to defaults, undoing any configuration

Grammar Patterns

configure something to do something

configure something for something

Usage Note

Very often passive in technical writing, and very often followed by a to-infinitive saying what behaviour you set up. The object is normally a device, system, or application; the subject is a person, technician, or installation script.

Common Mistakes

I am configuring to my router.
I am configuring my router.
'configure' takes a direct object, no preposition between verb and object.
She is configuring her laptop for work it from home.
She is configuring her laptop to work from home.
when adding a behaviour, use 'to + verb' rather than 'for' plus a dangling pronoun.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

These four -ing forms all describe getting a device or program ready, but each names a different stage. 'Setting up' is the broadest, friendliest term and covers everything from unboxing to first sign-in. 'Installing' is the narrow first step — copying software onto a system or mounting hardware in place. 'Configuring' picks up after install: choosing options, ports, accounts, and behaviours so the system matches your needs; it sounds more formal and technical than 'setting up'. 'Customizing' shifts focus from function to taste — colours, shortcuts, layouts. So a technician might 'install' new accounting software, spend the afternoon 'configuring' it for the company's tax rules, then let each user 'customize' their own dashboard.

configuring ↗setting upcustomizinginstalling

Common collocations

Nouns

  • configuring a device
  • configuring a server
  • configuring a network
  • configuring the settings
  • configuring the layout

Adverbs

  • correctly configuring
  • carefully configuring
  • manually configuring
  • automatically configured

Phrases

  • configuring something to do something
  • configuring something so that
  • factory configured

Prepositions

  • configuring for
  • configuring as
  • configuring with
  • configuring to

Etymology

LatinLate LatinEnglish

Present participle of the verb 'configure', borrowed in the 16th century from Late Latin 'configurare', built from 'con-' (together) and 'figurare' (to give shape to, from 'figura' meaning 'shape'). Astronomers first used it for the relative positions of stars and planets. The technology meaning — adjusting a computer or device's settings — became dominant only from the late 20th century, as personal computing spread.