set piece
noun
plural set pieces
1
a
: a composition (as in literature, art, or music) executed in a fixed or ideal form often with studied artistry and brilliant effect
b
: a scene, depiction, speech, or event that is obviously designed to have an imposing effect
2
: a realistic piece of stage scenery standing by itself
3
: a precisely planned and conducted military operation
an offensive set piece that caught the enemy off guard
4
sports
: a carefully planned sequence of movements performed by the members of a team (as in soccer)
A set piece can be used on either a direct or indirect type of [free] kick, providing one of the few times during the game that a team can execute something that it may have spent hours practicing.—
Doug Roberson
Doug Roberson
Examples of set piece in a Sentence
a movie with some lovely set pieces
She scored with a set piece.
Recent Examples on the Web
Goals from midfielders Sam Coffey and Claire Hutton opened the scoring in the first half; both were results of set pieces delivered by the third midfielder in their lineup, Rose Lavelle.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 3 July 2025
Yes, those months in London were a set piece in my mind, but set pieces are not short stories.
—Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
The spry assistance of stagehands, who not only move set pieces but help flesh out the world of the play, is a jaunty touch.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Populated by unhinged men and masochistic women, and punctuated by fiery, increasingly histrionic set pieces, Smoke fails to reconcile its mood of noirish nihilism with its efforts at social commentary.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for set piece
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Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 3 July 2025
Yes, those months in London were a set piece in my mind, but set pieces are not short stories.
—Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
The spry assistance of stagehands, who not only move set pieces but help flesh out the world of the play, is a jaunty touch.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Populated by unhinged men and masochistic women, and punctuated by fiery, increasingly histrionic set pieces, Smoke fails to reconcile its mood of noirish nihilism with its efforts at social commentary.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for set piece
Cite this Entry
“Set piece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20piece. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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