set down

verb

set down; setting down; sets down

transitive verb

1

: to cause to sit down : seat

2

: to place at rest on a surface or on the ground

3

: to suspend (a jockey) from racing

4

: to cause or allow to get off a vehicle : deliver

5

: to land (an airplane) on the ground or water

6

a

: ordain, establish

b

: to put in writing

7

a

: regard, consider

set him down as a liar

b

: attribute

Synonyms

• seat
• sit

Examples of set down in a Sentence

set the toddler down in her seat

set down the names of those in attendance

Recent Examples on the Web

But then came Alcaraz against Sinner last Sunday: Alcaraz coming all the way back from two sets down on the red clay of Roland Garros. —Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 14 June 2025

Edwin Diaz and Reed Garrett then set down six straight batters before Jeff McNeil delivered the walk-off hit. —Jerry Beach, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025

Continue reading here ———— Carlos Alcaraz rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) on Sunday and win the French Open title for a second straight year. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025

Coco Gauff won the women’s title on Saturday, coming back from a set down to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 8 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for set down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

set down

verb

1

: to cause to sit down : seat

2

: to place at rest on a surface or on the ground

3

: to land (an airplane) on the ground or water

4

: establish sense 2

the government set down laws

5

: to put in writing