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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for set on
Verb
-
Solomon faces charges of forcibly assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Mar. 2026 -
That’s because lawmakers put outsized effort into a slew of dangerous and divisive bills that assault the basic rights of every Floridian.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Iran attacked two oil tankers off the coast of Iraq overnight, setting them ablaze.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Reginald Arthurell — who began transitioning to a woman shortly after his release from prison in 2020 — was removed from the home after heavily armed officers raided the address on Monday, radio station 2GB reported.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
For one, Indigenous people resisted American colonists’ expansion into their ancestral homelands, raiding their farms and settlements in the Ohio Valley.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
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.
Cite this Entry
“Set on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/set%20on. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
