dead set
Americanadjective
noun
-
a serious or determined attempt; firm effort.
He made a dead set at winning the championship.
-
Hunting. the stiff posture assumed by a hunting dog in indicating the presence and location of game.
adverb
noun
adjective
interjection
Etymology
Origin of dead set
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But I was dead set it was a three for me.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Knueppel says he learned it by a being kid trying to escape an entire court of grown men who were dead set on stopping him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
With Poland dead set against it, that means either France or Italy, both home to rowdy agricultural lobbies, would have to sign on.
From Barron's ● Dec. 30, 2025
Sometimes a happily ever after isn't the right fit for a movie so dead set on taking so much commentary from reality.
From Salon ● May 7, 2024
But Dasch was dead set on returning to Germany.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
