set the pace

idiom

: to be the one that is at the front in a race and that controls how fast the other racers have to go

—often used figuratively

The company's advanced equipment sets the pace for the recording industry.

Examples of set the pace in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here are the main takeaways from today’s on-track action in Hungary: Lando Norris set the pace in FP1, with a scorching 1:16.052 on the soft tires, ahead of Oscar Piastri by 0.019 seconds and 0.217 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. —Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025

In the first game of the four-game slate, the Indiana Pacers’ strong first half set the pace en route to a 117-98 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. —Homero De La Fuente, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025

As a free service, YouTube continues to set the pace. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 July 2025

Domestiques set the pace for team leaders, chasing and attacking opponents and even shielding their leader from headwinds that can slow him down. —Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 4 July 2025

Rhymes for set the pace

• aerospace
• anatase
• anyplace
• commonplace
• cyberspace
• database
• diabase
• diastase
• dnase
• elastase
• fireplace
• hyperspace