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
Taylor’s action and Coogan’s response could set a precedent for many a movie to come.
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Max Goldbart, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Filing charges against school officials in the aftermath of a school shooting is rare, a law professor at the University of Virginia told CNN, and this case could set a precedent for future events as US communities grapple with questions of responsibility after a school is scarred by gun violence.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The outcome could determine not only the scope of ICE’s authority in the District but also set a precedent for how far federal immigration enforcement can reach into local communities and public institutions such as schools.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
But Interview With the Vampire set a precedent for transformative TV from the Immortal Universe, its narrative and visual audacity subverting adaptation tropes and genre storytelling by challenging viewers’ notions of immortality, sexuality, and destiny.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2025
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Max Goldbart, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Filing charges against school officials in the aftermath of a school shooting is rare, a law professor at the University of Virginia told CNN, and this case could set a precedent for future events as US communities grapple with questions of responsibility after a school is scarred by gun violence.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The outcome could determine not only the scope of ICE’s authority in the District but also set a precedent for how far federal immigration enforcement can reach into local communities and public institutions such as schools.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
But Interview With the Vampire set a precedent for transformative TV from the Immortal Universe, its narrative and visual audacity subverting adaptation tropes and genre storytelling by challenging viewers’ notions of immortality, sexuality, and destiny.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Oct. 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 6 Nov. 2025.
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