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

For all the pomp, the meeting is largely a set piece. —ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026

After a corner, Jackson Travis set Ojediran up to recycle the set piece, but the Nigerian instead opted to shoot from north of 25 yards. —Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026

After a free kick was given inches outside of the 18-yard box, Tomás Chancalay's set piece bounced off a wall of Cincinnati defenders and rebounded off the right post. —CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026

The Red Bulls’ teenage trio made a notable impact — something the Revolution are looking for out of its own crop of young players this season — to start the second half by scoring off a set piece. —Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2026

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