sets 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of set
1
as in spawns
to cover and warm eggs as the young inside develop the hen set for days

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as in sits
chiefly dialect to rest on the buttocks or haunches come over and set for a spell

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
as in aims
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

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sets

2 of 2

noun

plural of set
1
as in factions
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

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

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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 sets
Verb
While the sun sets earlier and earlier, there’s no better excuse to unplug, curl up and turn the page. Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Viking caters primarily to affluent, older travelers and offers an extensive portfolio of river cruises, which sets it apart from more mass-market competitors. Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 Each year, the agency sets a dollar amount of earnings required to earn one credit. Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026 Lucchese has been an iconic Texas brand since 1883 and sets the standard for fashion-forward handsewn boots. Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 Being aggressive upgrading the backup quarterback spot sets a standard, one Dolphins’ fans should hope pushes the franchise forward. Omar Kelly august 30, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026 However, the sun sets very late in Alaska during the summer months, meaning the night sky might not get dark enough for the aurora to become visible. Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 What sets this cut apart from the classic C-cut, however, is primarily the technique. Lucy Binder, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2026 Brink appreciates the example the former league MVP sets for her peers. John W. Davis, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Much of that is because of Bowers, arguably the most talented tight end league-wide, but also because Mayer has found success in Kubiak’s heavy sets, and Thomas continues to provide value as a blocker. Sam Warren, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Crump was flanked by three sets of grieving Black families who have all lost their sons in recent months. Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 In addition, each figure comes with extra sets of hands and accessories related to each of the characters. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Controlling cracks is especially important in large concrete arches, since temperature changes and internal stresses can affect the structure as the concrete sets. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026 Getting the shots, the sets and the rhythm of the series has been the greatest challenge—the day-to-day struggle to achieve that level of quality and such a high standard. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 Adebo could see some action against three-receiver sets regardless, depending on what Harbaugh settles with at the slot corner spot. Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 As a result, the concert featured no acoustic sets, no power ballads, no reason for anybody to sit down. Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Temperatures have steadily risen on Langtang Lirung, the mountain where the glacier collapsed, since at least the 1980s, according to high-tech European Union climate data sets. Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sets
Verb
  • Molluscum is caused by a virus and spawns the pimple-like bumps.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But the software wrapped around it reinserts the objective on every turn, stores progress to a file, spawns subagents, retries on failure, and keeps going until a verifier says the task is done.
    Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Once a name is retired, the committee chooses a replacement, using relatively short, easy-to-pronounce names, and not after individuals.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • If a user chooses to store a ChatGPT conversation in the cloud, however, relevant Messages content follows the same retention policies as other content in that conversation.
    Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The free market rate is different from the official rate, which values the rial 29% higher against the US dollar.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • At the top of the range, the offering values Shein at roughly $27 billion — a fraction of its pandemic-era peak valuation.
    Denni Hu, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The InnoAsia Startup Demo Jam sits at the center of the first track, with nine companies, drawn from the open call and international partner recommendations, pitching AI, virtual production and digital-asset technologies to investors and buyers.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Because this threshold sits far beyond the operational temperatures of the core, the coolant cannot flash into steam.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Beijing aims to transform the region into a high-altitude green energy powerhouse, with projects that include a $168 billion megadam, currently under construction, that could stretch the limits of what human engineering has achieved.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This shift aims to secure more predictable, recurring revenue and higher user retention, mitigating the volatility of hardware sales.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • So Issa decides to bring out the real Paul Baker by inviting over all his bros.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Petitioners can move to gather signatures only if a judge decides that the recall charges meet the legal requirements for the process.
    Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • However, just as absurd are the directions the story takes from that point on, and the mechanics by which its central family secures their eventual happy ending.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • If no candidate secures a majority of the vote in Tuesday's primary, the contest could head to a runoff later this month to determine who takes on Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
    Caroline Linton, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This timing also gives bulb roots enough time to settle in before the weather gets cold and the ground freezes.
    Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The second drug is a paralytic that freezes the body from the outside in, creating the effect that the person is peacefully asleep.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sets. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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