set the wheels in motion

idiom

: to do something essential to begin a process
With today's announcement, she has set the wheels in motion for a run for the presidency.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Absolutely no pressure, but knowing there is someone who’s willing to help can set the wheels in motion for a woman to plan her safe exit from an abusive relationship. cleveland, 23 Apr. 2022 His Holiness greenlit the papal four-wheeler and set the wheels in motion for future emissions-free cruising. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 May 2021 What’s happened so far: The government has already set the wheels in motion for delving into the factors that contributed to the banks’ collapses. Krystal Hur, CNN, 26 Mar. 2023 New customers can score huge four-digit insurance through our Caesars promo code CLEFULL here, while prospective Caesars Ohio bettors can set the wheels in motion for a successful launch day in two weeks by using this link. cleveland, 17 Dec. 2022 Its tune changed when Barlow and Bear in April won a Grammy for best musical theater album and set the wheels in motion to profit off of live shows and merchandise. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2022 With Miles’ backing, Moss set the wheels in motion for the Iron Riders. David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 June 2022 That set the wheels in motion to overturn Roe v. Wade in general, which the Biden administration urged the Courts not to do. Lizz Schumer, Good Housekeeping, 3 May 2022 In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court set the wheels in motion for Tuesday’s settlement with a decision to deny Remington’s bid to block the lawsuit. Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'set the wheels in motion.' 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 wheels in motion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20the%20wheels%20in%20motion. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

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