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

set-piece

ˈset-ˌpēs 

adjective

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

John Frankenheimer’s gritty heist flick is packed with shifting loyalties, shady motives and not one, but two, figure-skating set pieces. —Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, Footwear News, 26 May 2025

But Trump, despite his love of pageantry and TV-ready set pieces, has not visited the border since taking office. —Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025

The prison was both a historical set piece and a metaphor — symbolizing his emotional confinement. —Victoria Bousis, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025

If nothing else, two genuinely astonishing action set pieces (one, a very extended car chase, the other, an incredible shipwreck deep-dive) and an eye-popping trip straight into said pyramids are worth the price of admission. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 22 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for set piece

• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice
• cerise
• decease
• decrease
• eyepiece
• facepiece
• handpiece
• headpiece
• increase