# equipping

/ɪˈkwɪpɪŋ/ (US) · /ɪkwˈɪpɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/equipping
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. providing tools or items

verb · CEFR B2

giving someone the physical tools or equipment they need to do a job.

For teachers: the act of supplying a person, group, or object with necessary physical resources or apparatus.

- The charity is equipping the local school with new computers for the lab.
- Equipping the expedition with high-altitude gear proved more expensive than the organisers had initially projected in their budget.

Usage: Takes a direct object followed by the preposition 'with'.

### 2. providing skills or knowledge

verb · CEFR B2

giving someone the knowledge or skills they need to handle a situation.

For teachers: the process of preparing someone mentally or intellectually for a specific challenge or role.

- This course is excellent for equipping students with the skills needed for work.
- The university focuses on equipping graduates with critical thinking skills that remain relevant regardless of their specific career path.

Usage: Often used in educational or professional development contexts.

Teaching tip: Remind students that this sense is metaphorical; you are 'arming' them with knowledge.

### 3. the act of outfitting

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the process of getting all the equipment ready for a project or trip.

For teachers: the action or process of providing equipment; functions as a gerund noun.

- The equipping of the new hospital took several months to complete.
- The rapid equipping of the reserve forces was essential for the success of the defensive operation.

Usage: Used as the subject or object of a sentence to describe the process itself.

Teaching tip: In most cases, students should use the noun 'equipment' for the items themselves and 'equipping' for the process.

## Examples

- The school is equipping every student with a new laptop.
- The training program focuses on equipping new managers with the communication skills they need to lead diverse teams effectively.
- By equipping the laboratory with state-of-the-art sensors, the university ensured that researchers could collect data with a level of precision previously unavailable in the field.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.