set out 1 of 2

verb

Definition of set outnext
as in to describe
to give a representation or account of in words in his inaugural address, the president set out his vision for the nation over the next four years

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

setout

2 of 2

noun

ˈset-ˌau̇t How to pronounce setout (audio)
as in layout
the way in which something is sized, arranged, or organized the setout of the stations at the polling place was a little confusing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of set out
Verb
Founded in 2009 by JoeBen Bevirt, the California firm set out to move commuters from slow, congested ground transportation to much faster, zero-emissions electric aircraft. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 Dhani Harrison and Nigel Godrich didn’t set out to form a new band together. — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2026 Anthony Boyle and Julia Garner star as the lovers turned co-founders, the duo who set out to use crypto for good, kind of, but also for profit, kind of, in a business venture–slash–possible fraud that turned the whole world upside down. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026 After Floyd Hall became CEO in 1995 and set out to turn the retailer around, Kmart came back to her. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for set out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for set out
  1. describe
  2. layout
  3. portray
  4. formation
  5. depict
  6. format
Verb
  • Hey, the boss needs a favor In a November 2025 Reddit post, one person described buying $800 in Target gift cards on their second day at a new job after receiving an email impersonating their boss.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Its inclusion in the corridors of power is characteristic of the 52-year-old executive, whom colleagues describe as committed, charismatic and down-to-earth.
    — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of describe
Noun
  • The 128 is semi-custom, like previous models, meaning owners can pick from a wide array of interior finishes, layouts, and furnishings.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Thanks to the home's single-level layout, there's plenty of headroom to stand up and move around.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of layout
Verb
  • Also on Weekend Update, James Austin Johnson portrayed a selfish Kevin O’Leary, the Shark Tank investor who is backing a massive data center campus in northwest Utah.
    — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The patience required to piece them together paints Winehouse as an introspective woman as opposed to her party girl that the tabloids portrayed her as.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of portray
Noun
  • Shy, nerdy and a pacifist by nature, Pavi has a personality, if one that’s still in formation.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Meteorologists say Isaias’s late formation is largely because of the presence of El Niño, a pattern of unusually warm ocean waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean that can alter weather patterns across the planet.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of formation
Verb
  • According to Saks, the campaign depicts how different levels of the store offer something unforeseen.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Two years after Mai’s landing in England, the painter and founding Royal Academy President Joshua Reynolds depicted Mai on a canvas nearly 8 feet tall.
    — Saar Shahar, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of depict
Noun
  • In the emerging markets, there’s recruitment at scale, thanks in part to mini-sized products and other different formats.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Nearly all its arrangements hew to a standard radio-pop format, and in the record’s back half this lack of imagination becomes tiresome.
    — Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of format

Browse Nearby Words

set one's teeth on edge
set out
setout
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Cite this Entry

“Set out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/set%20out. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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