as in describing
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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Recent Examples of setting out
With fewer people using dating apps, more singles are setting out to meet other single people in real life.
—
Leondra Head, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding and a joint development agreement with Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and the Saudi Water Transmission Company, setting out a roadmap for cooperation in the water sector.
—Reuters, NBC news, 8 Feb. 2026
In 1930s Scotland, a grieving teen defies his family and town by setting out to prove the existence of a mysterious creature, hoping to preserve the magic of his community and protect it from industrial ruin.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2025
The actress and producer is also setting out on directing her own feature film for the first time with a new movie titled A Tree Is Blue, which will costar Jessica Alba and Charli xcx.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
The fastest way to a stressful hosting experience is by micro-managing and trying to do everything yourself, from setting out food and drink to cleaning up to fluttering around to ensure nothing is going wrong.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
GlaxoSmithKline chief Emma Walmsley will leave the job in December, almost a year before her notice period expires (though she’ll be paid the full period), and just weeks after setting out her strategic plan for the drugmaker in an interview with Semafor’s Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025
What to know about hiking in extreme heat The past few months, several disappearances have occurred involving hikers setting out on multi-day excursions who are never seen again.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2025
When the pastel mini totes launched in April, Trader Joe’s stores began setting out announcement signs a few weeks beforehand, toward the end of March.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2025
Leondra Head, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding and a joint development agreement with Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and the Saudi Water Transmission Company, setting out a roadmap for cooperation in the water sector.
—Reuters, NBC news, 8 Feb. 2026
In 1930s Scotland, a grieving teen defies his family and town by setting out to prove the existence of a mysterious creature, hoping to preserve the magic of his community and protect it from industrial ruin.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2025
The actress and producer is also setting out on directing her own feature film for the first time with a new movie titled A Tree Is Blue, which will costar Jessica Alba and Charli xcx.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
The fastest way to a stressful hosting experience is by micro-managing and trying to do everything yourself, from setting out food and drink to cleaning up to fluttering around to ensure nothing is going wrong.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
GlaxoSmithKline chief Emma Walmsley will leave the job in December, almost a year before her notice period expires (though she’ll be paid the full period), and just weeks after setting out her strategic plan for the drugmaker in an interview with Semafor’s Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025
What to know about hiking in extreme heat The past few months, several disappearances have occurred involving hikers setting out on multi-day excursions who are never seen again.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2025
When the pastel mini totes launched in April, Trader Joe’s stores began setting out announcement signs a few weeks beforehand, toward the end of March.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting out
Verb
-
Blume’s fiction addressed what was ordinary but largely invisible, describing it with humor, warmth, and care.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
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Without so much as an introduction, the man began describing a way to create currency that couldn’t be forged.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In contrast to the gown’s sparkling neutral backdrop, black rhinestones depicting a tranquil mountain forest scene crawled up Hudson’s sides to her chest, around her hips, and down to her knees.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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Close-ups on framed photographs depicting Devora’s younger, more graceful self offer less a sense of history than ambient suspense.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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How did the creative team approach portraying the internet from an aesthetic point of view?—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Starring Béjo, produced by Wild Bunch TV and Palermo Production, on the biggest plays at the Upfront, moving from Belle Epoque Paris to New York and early Hollywood, portraying real-life fiction cinema visionary Alice Guy, erased from history.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Setting out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/setting%20out. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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