set the pace

idiom

: to be the one that is at the front in a race and that controls how fast the other racers have to go
often used figuratively
The company's advanced equipment sets the pace for the recording industry.

Examples of set the pace in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The married couple has set the pace, avoiding any of the setbacks on foot, by vehicle or during the challenges that many of the teams have experienced so far. Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 West Virginia set the pace with an early 3-point shooting barrage and outhustled the Jayhawks to get key free throws in the end. John Raby, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2024 This year, a series of careful experiments in labs around the world, focusing on different species and systems, pointed to a common explanation: that fundamental metabolic processes, including biochemical reactions and the gene expression that underlies them, all set the pace. Quanta Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023 Judges are normally loath to set the pace of proceedings based on outside pressures, but in the cases involving Mr. Trump the courts have found themselves in an unusual bind. Alan Feuer, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 Derrick White drilled six 3-pointers and set the pace with 24 points, punishing the Heat time and again for leaving him open to send double-teams at Tatum. Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 26 May 2023 During the eventual second practice, Sainz's Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets and set the pace during the extended second free practice, per F1. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 17 Nov. 2023 First airing on Fox on August 5, 2003, Josh Schwartz’s show set the pace for all of our favorite primetime fixtures that followed. Riann Phillip, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2023 That will result in about 80 percent less greenhouse gases, the company says, and set the pace for an industry that has been a major polluter. New York Times, 17 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'set the pace.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Set the pace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20the%20pace. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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