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

Fernandes knew, with Cristiano Ronaldo suspended for their last World Cup qualifier after a red card against Republic of Ireland, that he may be needed on set pieces. —Chris McKenna, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026

Effectiveness at both ends with set pieces is an obvious area for growth, as is production from stars Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min, who both went cold since fast starts. —Josh Gross, Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026

With stunning action set pieces, a delightfully wicked villain (Javier Bardem), and a surprisingly emotional through-line featuring M (Judi Dench), Skyfall resonated for casual moviegoers as much as diehard Bond devotees. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026

Were there any scenes or set pieces that particularly stood out for you? —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 26 Mar. 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