set piece
noun
plural set pieces
1
a
: a composition (as in literature, art, or music) executed in a fixed or ideal form often with studied artistry and brilliant effect
b
: a scene, depiction, speech, or event that is obviously designed to have an imposing effect
2
: a realistic piece of stage scenery standing by itself
3
: a precisely planned and conducted military operation
an offensive set piece that caught the enemy off guard
4
sports
: a carefully planned sequence of movements performed by the members of a team (as in soccer)
A set piece can be used on either a direct or indirect type of [free] kick, providing one of the few times during the game that a team can execute something that it may have spent hours practicing.—
Doug Roberson
Doug Roberson
Examples of set piece in a Sentence
a movie with some lovely set pieces
She scored with a set piece.
Recent Examples on the Web
Fulham enjoyed 62 per cent possession but landed zero shots on target, then were stung by a set piece and finished off on the counter-attack.
—Sam Tighe, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
There was one game at Newcastle when a new player was sent on as a substitute and promptly lost the opponent he was meant to be marking at a set piece.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
What follows is a roughly 12-minute sequence which begins with woozy revelations and ends with someone’s hand being impaled by a steak knife — a standout set piece that’s both a showcase and a pacesetter for the rest of the film.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
That insurance goal proved to be invaluable two minutes later, when Dougherty’s defenders yanked down a De La Salle player in the box on a set piece and were called for a penalty.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set piece
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Sam Tighe, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
There was one game at Newcastle when a new player was sent on as a substitute and promptly lost the opponent he was meant to be marking at a set piece.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
What follows is a roughly 12-minute sequence which begins with woozy revelations and ends with someone’s hand being impaled by a steak knife — a standout set piece that’s both a showcase and a pacesetter for the rest of the film.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
That insurance goal proved to be invaluable two minutes later, when Dougherty’s defenders yanked down a De La Salle player in the box on a set piece and were called for a penalty.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set piece
Cite this Entry
“Set piece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20piece. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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