as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against
without warning, bandits would set on unwary merchants as they traveled along the Silk Road
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for set on
Verb
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Federal prosecutors accused Lang of assaulting police at the Capitol using an aluminum baseball bat and a riot shield.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026 -
Three weeks later, Jalloh allegedly assaulted an older male and stomped his head into the ground.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, Iran’s new Supreme Leader said that his country would keep closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which about a fifth of the world’s oil flows, and more vessels in the Persian Gulf were attacked, including two oil tankers that were set ablaze off the coast of Iraq.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
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Iran attacked two oil tankers off the coast of Iraq overnight, setting them ablaze.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Marathon isn't just about the alien planet and the thrill of raiding a colony's remains; those looking for deeper sci-fi themes (and willing to do some reading and listening) will be fed too.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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Khamenka was detained in June after his house was raided and has spent more than a half year behind bars.—
Yuras Karmanau,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While many families are discussing plans to move out of the state should the legislative proposals pass, others are organizing letter-writing campaigns, submitting testimony and gathering support to storm the Capitol in opposition.—
Kaitlin McCallum,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2026
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With less than five seconds remaining in regulation, King and teammate George Natsvlishvili stormed up the court in hopes of a buzzer-beating shot.—
Tom Carothers,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The most serious mid-air collision involving the plane happened in 1966, when a B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs struck a tanker near Palomares, Spain.—
Kim Tong-Hyung,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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The attack occurred after projectiles struck four other vessels in Gulf waters, according to port, maritime security and risk firms.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Set on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/set%20on. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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