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
Doug Roberson
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
And the episodes feel like actual episodes, with individual problems for Will and Sylvia to solve — usually because one or both of them created it in the first place — and a notable set piece to distinguish each installment from the others.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
There are a few set pieces in the first act that give the dancers their moments to shine.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Spurs scored from a set piece in their first friendly against Reading and did not panic when Arsenal bombarded them with corners during the north London derby in Hong Kong on Thursday, which Spurs won 1-0.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
The movie judders from one set piece to another with only a loose plot to follow—the story involves some dead bodies, an evil billionaire (Danny Huston), and a budding romance between Drebin and Beth.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set piece
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Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
There are a few set pieces in the first act that give the dancers their moments to shine.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Spurs scored from a set piece in their first friendly against Reading and did not panic when Arsenal bombarded them with corners during the north London derby in Hong Kong on Thursday, which Spurs won 1-0.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
The movie judders from one set piece to another with only a loose plot to follow—the story involves some dead bodies, an evil billionaire (Danny Huston), and a budding romance between Drebin and Beth.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set piece
Cite this Entry
“Set piece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20piece. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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