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set-to

1 of 2

noun

plural set-tos
: a usually brief and vigorous fight or debate

set to

2 of 2

verb

set to; setting to; sets to

intransitive verb

1
: to begin actively and earnestly
2
: to begin fighting

Examples of set-to in a Sentence

Noun they had a brief set-to about money, but they seem to have resolved it
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Into this unholy mess blunders Juan (Juan Amador), bearing the gushing stigmata of a violent set-to in a Sacramento bar. Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023 His truest, ugliest self tends to emerge in his increasingly frequent set-tos with Linda, whose impatience with his documentary persona gradually wears through even her considerable acting ability. Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Sep. 2023
Verb
These four stars are set to face off on the December 1 episode of Raw to determine who advances to the finals. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025 Their assets have increased in value, their portfolios have performed well, and many are looking to the generations above them for a significant windfall of cash set to come from inheritance. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for set-to

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1794, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of set-to was circa 1525

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Cite this Entry

“Set-to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set-to. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

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