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

United — who packed the six-yard box with their strongest players ahead of the set piece — were undone by the aggression and quick movement of Lacroix from just outside it. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026

For all the pomp, the meeting is largely a set piece. —ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026

After a corner, Jackson Travis set Ojediran up to recycle the set piece, but the Nigerian instead opted to shoot from north of 25 yards. —Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026

After a free kick was given inches outside of the 18-yard box, Tomás Chancalay's set piece bounced off a wall of Cincinnati defenders and rebounded off the right post. —CBS News, 28 Feb. 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