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

Its central plot remains conventional, and its demonology — including a hokey expansion involving the mysterious Cult of the Wise Men — routinely functions more as a set piece than as a serious mystery. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026

Vanicek seems more interested in slathering on the gore, to the point where the movie starts to seem less like a full-bodied story than a string of hyper-violent set pieces. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026

Bank in, low block, surrender possession, everyone behind the ball, defend for your lives, play on the counter, hope for a set piece — there’s nothing wrong with any of that. — Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Álex Baena took a set piece free kick that hit hard right off the crossbar. — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 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