set 1 of 3

1
as in to sit
to cover and warm eggs as the young inside develop the hen set for days

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
4
as in to lounge
chiefly dialect to rest on the buttocks or haunches come over and set for a spell

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal determined to see the West, she set her car towards the sun and drove off

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
7
8
9
10

set

2 of 3

noun

1
as in faction
a group of people acting together within a larger group the younger set is less likely to volunteer for the church's annual rummage sale

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
5
as in scenery
the array of painted backgrounds and furnishings used to establish the setting in a stage production built sets for the play

Synonyms & Similar Words

set

3 of 3

adjective

1
2
3
4
5
6

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of set
Verb
The glossy pump set a sharp contrast against the skirt’s and shirt’s voluminous silhouettes. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025 The film, which is set in Northern India, didn’t receive a theatrical release in India due to censorship blocks, but had been set for an Indian streaming debut today, October 17, via Lionsgate Play. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Lethal Weapon and Iron Man scribe has launched The Gauntlet, a competition that puts aspiring writers through a rigorous series of critiques and rewrites — sort of American Gladiators for the Final Draft set. Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025 The set-up, with its romantic tensions still cross-wired after all these years, seems promising. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The reveal of William's set visit comes just days after another major TV moment. Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 There is no set number of events BCA will do leading up to construction, Cherry said, but the center would like to engage with the surrounding neighborhoods, including emerging Black and brown artists in the Harambee neighborhood and around the city. Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for set
Recent Examples of Synonyms for set
Verb
  • The university first acquired the site in 1967 with plans to build student housing, but after structures on the lot were bulldozed, the property sat vacant.
    Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
  • So there’s no time to get entertained besides seeing things on your mobile phone or your laptop or sitting somewhere, waiting in a lounge.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While the right technique for cutting can go a long way, nothing will have quite as much impact on the longevity of your blooms than choosing the right time to hit your garden with a bucket of lukewarm water and your sharpest shears in hand.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
  • In Pullman’s world, evil is overcome by people choosing truth over lies, action over apathy and empathy over hate, every single day.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Price contends the Jameson portion of the USGS report is outdate and inaccurate, pointing to a much more recent 2025 third-party review from Sproule ERCE energy consultants that estimates the Jameson basin could hold 9 billion net barrels of recoverable crude oil.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The first collision was estimated to have occurred at a speed of around 37 mph.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Last month, the Cabinet approved a package of new subsidies aimed at boosting births, including a one-time cash allowance of NT$30,000 (about US$3,320) per newborn.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
  • To this end, the firm leveraged its own talents and art departments for the campaigns and aims to further boost the appeal of the products by encouraging their use in models’ off-duty moments.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As the team struggles with grief, Sharon decides to pull Station 42 off active duty entirely, rather than assign a new captain.
    Alamin Yohannes, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
  • When New Jersey suddenly came down hard on business, neighbouring Delaware decided to rewrite its rulebook to scoop up companies fleeing the state.
    Jan Hammer, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Economists warn the incoming administration faces immediate challenges, including securing fuel supplies and building coalitions in a fragmented legislature.
    Reuters 3 min ago, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Since the city incentivized the private haulers to offer better deals by softening some recycling requirements, the pace of customers securing new service has accelerated, Bauer said.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Simply assemble and bake according to the instructions before freezing.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
  • As temperatures are forecast to plummet to as low as 21 degrees Fahrenheit, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued freeze warnings for parts of Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas and Oregon on Saturday and Sunday.
    Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Pair it with tights, knee-high boots, and a denim jacket for an effortlessly put together look.
    Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
  • This could further drive up longtime residents’ property tax bills and put them at risk of losing their homes to the land bank eventually, too.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Set.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/set. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on set

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!