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

This is the year of the set piece. —Megan Feringa, New York Times, 31 May 2026

However, given how much those AAA games borrow their structure from Bond films, hopping through a series of spectacular set pieces makes sense here. —Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 29 May 2026

The set piece is a beautiful art deco-esque, chandelier-looking portal that rises and falls on a stand with a geometric precision Busby Berkeley would approve of, revealing and swallowing musical performers in between the movements of Johnson’s comedy. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 28 May 2026

This last sneak peek serves up heaps of colorful heroic set pieces as He-Man recruits a fearsome force to storm Castle Greyskull and reclaim the throne from his hateful nemesis. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 May 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