set a precedent

Idioms  

1. Establish a usage, tradition, or standard to be followed in the future. For example, He set a precedent by having the chaplain lead the academic procession. The word precedent here signifies a previous instance or legal decision upon which future instances are based, a usage dating from the early 1400s. In British and American law it more specifically refers to a legal decision that may be used as a standard in subsequent cases.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

set a precedent

“Whatever resources you have to set a precedent to say, ‘This is harming our community,’ makes sense to me,” Pomeroy said over matcha at a local food hall.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

It was one of the first legal challenges to slavery in Los Angeles and set a precedent for freedom in California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

In May, Snap, TikTok, YouTube and Meta settled with a school district in Kentucky for $27 million to avoid another trial that was expected to set a precedent for around 1,200 similar lawsuits.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

"I really hope it doesn't set a precedent going forward."

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

If we could unite the two organizations on the island, that could set a precedent for uniting them in the liberation struggle as a whole.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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