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

Scott Waugh thinks about big set pieces differently than other filmmakers. — William Earl, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

The strong opening sequence, in which Tucker is forced to shoot an asset who’s been seized, is strikingly filmed and edited, and the smaller-scale action set pieces are equally strong. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

The day before, De Zerbi namechecked Gallagher as a player who can help his team from a set pieces and physicality perspective. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Wonka’s The Golden Ticket is dusting off an iconic set piece from the beloved 1971 film starring Gene Wilder. — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 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