diff --git a/.ci/test.sh b/.ci/test.sh
index 61922ad68aa2..665e7f6546ec 100755
--- a/.ci/test.sh
+++ b/.ci/test.sh
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ if [[ $TASK == "gpu" ]]; then
         pip install \
             --user \
             -v \
-            --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_GPU=ON \
+            --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_GPU=ON \
             $BUILD_DIRECTORY/dist/lightgbm-$LGB_VER.tar.gz \
         || exit -1
         pytest $BUILD_DIRECTORY/tests/python_package_test || exit -1
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ elif [[ $TASK == "cuda" ]]; then
         pip install \
             --user \
             -v \
-            --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_CUDA=ON \
+            --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_CUDA=ON \
             $BUILD_DIRECTORY/dist/lightgbm-$LGB_VER.tar.gz \
         || exit -1
         pytest $BUILD_DIRECTORY/tests/python_package_test || exit -1
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ elif [[ $TASK == "mpi" ]]; then
         pip install \
             --user \
             -v \
-            --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_MPI=ON \
+            --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_MPI=ON \
             $BUILD_DIRECTORY/dist/lightgbm-$LGB_VER.tar.gz \
         || exit -1
         pytest $BUILD_DIRECTORY/tests/python_package_test || exit -1
diff --git a/build-python.sh b/build-python.sh
index 514dd2da88a7..336ccf5d9708 100755
--- a/build-python.sh
+++ b/build-python.sh
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
         PRECOMPILE="true"
         ;;
     --time-costs)
-        BUILD_ARGS="${PIP_INSTALL_ARGS} --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_TIMETAG=ON"
+        BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_TIMETAG=ON"
         ;;
     --user)
         PIP_INSTALL_ARGS="${PIP_INSTALL_ARGS} --user"
diff --git a/python-package/README.rst b/python-package/README.rst
index e08ef7b35f55..ee3432042d8b 100644
--- a/python-package/README.rst
+++ b/python-package/README.rst
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Build Threadless Version
 
 .. code:: sh
 
-    pip install lightgbm --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_OPENMP=OFF
+    pip install lightgbm --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_OPENMP=OFF
 
 All requirements, except the **OpenMP** requirement, from `Build from Sources section <#build-from-sources>`__ apply for this installation option as well.
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Build MPI Version
 
 .. code:: sh
 
-    pip install lightgbm --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_MPI=ON
+    pip install lightgbm --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_MPI=ON
 
 All requirements from `Build from Sources section <#build-from-sources>`__ apply for this installation option as well.
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ Build GPU Version
 
 .. code:: sh
 
-    pip install lightgbm --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_GPU=ON
+    pip install lightgbm --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_GPU=ON
 
 All requirements from `Build from Sources section <#build-from-sources>`__ apply for this installation option as well.
 
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ For **Windows** users, `CMake`_ (version 3.8 or higher) is strongly required.
 .. code:: sh
 
     pip install lightgbm \
-      --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_GPU=ON \
-      --config-setting=cmake.define.OpenCL_INCLUDE_DIR="/usr/local/cuda/include/" \
-      --config-setting=cmake.define.OpenCL_LIBRARY="/usr/local/cuda/lib64/libOpenCL.so"
+      --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_GPU=ON \
+      --config-settings=cmake.define.OpenCL_INCLUDE_DIR="/usr/local/cuda/include/" \
+      --config-settings=cmake.define.OpenCL_LIBRARY="/usr/local/cuda/lib64/libOpenCL.so"
 
 All available options that can be passed via ``cmake.define.{option}``.
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ Build CUDA Version
 
 .. code:: sh
 
-    pip install lightgbm --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_CUDA=ON
+    pip install lightgbm --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_CUDA=ON
 
 All requirements from `Build from Sources section <#build-from-sources>`__ apply for this installation option as well, and `CMake`_ (version 3.16 or higher) is strongly required.
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ Build HDFS Version
 
 .. code:: sh
 
-    pip install lightgbm --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_HDFS=ON
+    pip install lightgbm --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_HDFS=ON
 
 All requirements from `Build from Sources section <#build-from-sources>`__ apply for this installation option as well.
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ Build with MinGW-w64 on Windows
 
     # in sh.exe, git bash, or other Unix-like shell
     export CMAKE_GENERATOR='MinGW Makefiles'
-    pip install lightgbm --config-setting=cmake.define.CMAKE_SH=CMAKE_SH-NOTFOUND
+    pip install lightgbm --config-settings=cmake.define.CMAKE_SH=CMAKE_SH-NOTFOUND
 
 `CMake`_ and `MinGW-w64 <https://www.mingw-w64.org/>`_ should be installed first.
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ Build with Time Costs Output
 
 .. code:: sh
 
-    pip install lightgbm --config-setting=cmake.define.USE_TIMETAG=ON
+    pip install lightgbm --config-settings=cmake.define.USE_TIMETAG=ON
 
 Use this option to make LightGBM output time costs for different internal routines, to investigate and benchmark its performance.