inset

[ noun in-set; verb in-set ]

/ noun ˈɪnˌsɛt; verb ɪnˈsɛt /

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See synonyms for inset on Thesaurus.com

noun

something inserted; insert.

a small picture, map, etc., inserted within the border of a larger one.

influx.

the act of setting in.

a piece of cloth or other material set into a garment, usually as an ornamental panel.

verb (used with object), in·set, in·set·ting.

to set in or insert, as an inset: to inset a panel in a dress.

to insert an inset in: to inset a mounting with jewels.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of inset

before 900; Middle English insetten to insert, Old English insettan to initiate; see in-¹, set

OTHER WORDS FROM inset

insetter, noun

Words nearby inset

inserted, insertion, insertion element, in-service, insessorial, inset, inset initial, in seventh heaven, inseverable, inshallah, in shape

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use inset in a sentence

Then, using a router and a straight cutting bit, route an inset the same depth as the thickness of the metal turning hardware.
No need to pass the potatoes—spin them with this DIY Lazy Susan|Jean Levasseur|November 19, 2022|Popular-Science
There was often an inset of a leering, grinning man holding a cigar observing the event.
Beer bottles and cans hidden behind the drywall? I’ll drink to that.|John Kelly|September 22, 2021|Washington Post
Its controls are pretty sparse, with buttons for playback control and voice assistant access, and inset into the oh-so-slightly indented rubber top, making me prefer using my phone to adjust it rather than touching the Roam itself.
Sonos’ Roam Is a Pretty, Portable and Pricey Speaker That Could Enhance Your Summer Plans|Patrick Lucas Austin|July 6, 2021|Time
The jewelry—rock crystals inset in silver—was bold but not ostentatious thanks to its antique finish and heirloom quality.
Milan Fall Fashion Week 2012: Raf Simons’s Last Collection at Jil Sander|Robin Givhan|February 25, 2012|DAILY BEAST

The intricate perforations of the lamp were inset with colored glass, and the result was a subdued and warm illumination.
Dope|Sax Rohmer
No helicopters swung their blades above; there were only the bulge of a conning tower and the heavy inset glasses of the lookouts.
Astounding Stories, May, 1931|Various
She was twisting at an inset handle around which faint lines indicated the door edge.
Valley of the Croen|Lee Tarbell
Jason asked, handing the outcast a flat gold case inset with a single large diamond.
Deathworld|Harry Harrison
Randall saw that it was lit by squares inset in the walls that glowed with crimson light.
Astounding Stories, April, 1931|Various

British Dictionary definitions for inset

inset

verb (ɪnˈsɛt) -sets, -setting or -set

(tr) to set or place in or within; insert

noun (ˈɪnˌsɛt)

something inserted

printing

a small map or diagram set within the borders of a larger one
another name for insert (def. 4)

a piece of fabric inserted into a garment, as to shape it or for decoration

a flowing in, as of the tide

Derived forms of inset

insetter, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

inset

Origin of inset

OTHER WORDS FROM inset

Words nearby inset

Words related to inset

How to use inset in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inset

Derived forms of inset