Setup vs. Set-up vs. Set Up
“Setup” is a noun and adjective for an arrangement, configuration, preparation process, or trick; Cambridge Business English also records “set-up.” “Set up” is the two-word phrasal verb meaning establish, arrange, or prepare.
Use “set up” for the verb. Use “setup” for the noun/adjective; “set-up” is also documented in Cambridge.
Key details
Choose the right form
| If you mean / need | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| an arrangement, configuration, or preparation as a noun/adjective | setup / set-up | Both non-verb spellings are documented. |
| to establish, arrange, or prepare | set up | The phrasal verb is two words. |
Further guidance
Core difference
The action is “set up”; the resulting arrangement or configuration is a “setup” or documented “set-up.”
Fast Test
If you can write “set it up” or “setting it up,” keep the verb as two words.
Variant Boundary
Cambridge records closed “setup” and hyphenated “set-up” in noun/adjective contexts, so the non-verb spelling is not a universal one-form rule.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- SETUP — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Closed noun/adjective “setup” and hyphenated business variant “set-up”
- SET SOMETHING UP — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Two-word phrasal verb “set up” and hyphenated noun “set-up”