set a precedent
idiom
: to decide something that will be used as an example or rule to be followed in the future
The ruling in the case is likely to set a precedent for how future cases are decided.
Examples of set a precedent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Embedding strong protections into the browsing layer could set a precedent for how AI tools evolve across the digital ecosystem.
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Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The fearmongering worked; sales more than doubled the next year—and the strategy set a precedent for the way that American companies have advertised since.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Further, there’s a real case to be made that the D.A.’s office’s war against him and YSL wasn’t just about him but an attempt to set a precedent on how to wipe out entire rap scenes countrywide.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025
The outcomes in Texas and Louisiana could set a precedent for how courts nationwide interpret shield laws amid growing legal challenges against them.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2025
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Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The fearmongering worked; sales more than doubled the next year—and the strategy set a precedent for the way that American companies have advertised since.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Further, there’s a real case to be made that the D.A.’s office’s war against him and YSL wasn’t just about him but an attempt to set a precedent on how to wipe out entire rap scenes countrywide.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025
The outcomes in Texas and Louisiana could set a precedent for how courts nationwide interpret shield laws amid growing legal challenges against them.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set a precedent
Cite this Entry
“Set a precedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20a%20precedent. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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