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
Rebirth is indeed loaded with effects-heavy set pieces, but those digital elements work especially well here because Edwards knew exactly how to ensure the film still had that reach-out-and-touch-it texture — particularly by choosing to film in real locations and shoot the movie on film.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Resident Evil Requiem emphasizes horror more than explosive set pieces (in this demo, at least), a balance Capcom successfully nailed in Resident Evil 7 but lost sight of in Resident Evil Village.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 11 June 2025
Little moments in massive set pieces like this matter for building the personality of the dragons.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 June 2025
That his efforts take the form of a hectic period caper, packed to the gills with big-name stars and eye-catching set pieces, calls to mind The Grand Budapest Hotel, too.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for set piece
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James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Resident Evil Requiem emphasizes horror more than explosive set pieces (in this demo, at least), a balance Capcom successfully nailed in Resident Evil 7 but lost sight of in Resident Evil Village.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 11 June 2025
Little moments in massive set pieces like this matter for building the personality of the dragons.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 June 2025
That his efforts take the form of a hectic period caper, packed to the gills with big-name stars and eye-catching set pieces, calls to mind The Grand Budapest Hotel, too.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 June 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 4 Jul. 2025.
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