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

Frederick the Great of Prussia, an ardent admirer and associate of the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire, set the pace, sponsoring modern science and applying its findings to agriculture, transportation, government, and (not least) war-making. —John M. Owen Iv, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2015

For centuries, drums have been used to set the pace of marches. —Sarah Diamond Christopher Lee, New York Times, 27 May 2024

And as the internal crisis continues to unfold, the company that for years has set the pace of generative AI is now engulfed in uncertainty about its own future. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 23 May 2024

Valor Christian’s Dane Eike set the pace in the 5A boys 1600, and nobody was able to go with him. —Braidon Nourse, The Denver Post, 18 May 2024