stage set

noun

: scenery and properties designed and arranged for a particular scene in a play

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web With Ireland having its moment, consider the stage set, then, for the return of one of its most celebrated sons: Hozier. Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2023 The anticipated stage set, with its props and colorful backdrop, has been replaced with the podium—or perhaps the pulpit. Meghan O’gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 2 Mar. 2023 The whole place was like a stage set. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2021 In Manhattan, which had a rolling seven-day average of 1,597 new daily cases as of Nov. 29, and whose positivity rate is nearing a staggering 5%, auction house specialists stood in what was effectively a stage set, bidding for clients via phone and text in front of live-streaming cameras. James Tarmy, Bloomberg.com, 2 Dec. 2020 Was there a stage set, an auction block? Drea Brown Zócalo Public Square, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2020 Accompanied by a handful of dancers and backed by her band, SZA turned the stage and its screens into a ship tasked with navigating metaphorical seas: Her stage sets included a rickety boat taking on water, rough seagoing, submarine innards, and an under-the-sea world. Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2023 The stalemate ended with commissioner Rob Manfred mandating a 60-game season, neither camp pleased, and the stage set for an even bigger battle when the collective bargaining agreement expired this month, resulting in a lockout and the game's first work stoppage in 26 years. . Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2021 Dancing on a stage set with the desk-chair combinations found in countless classrooms, and moving to a mix of Radiohead recordings, the ensemble created iconic, often-poignant scenes, touching at times on overt bullying and students’ reactions to it. Elaine Schmidt, Journal Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stage set.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stage set was in 1861

Dictionary Entries Near stage set

Cite this Entry

“Stage set.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stage%20set. Accessed 10 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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