set against

British  

verb

1. to balance or compare

   to set a person's faults against his virtues

2. to cause to be hostile or unfriendly to

---

set against Idioms  

1. Be or cause someone to be opposed to, as in Civil wars often set brother against brother, or The police chief's critics were set against his officers. [Late 1200s] Also see dead set against.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

set against

Eager cruise passengers zipping around New York's southern shores rush to the starboard bow: a humpback whale is up for air, a breathtaking sighting set against Manhattan's iconic skyline.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

A small white car trundles into view, rolls across the floor, and bumps into a barrier set against the wall.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

The approved $20.6 billion spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1 is set against revenue-to-date of $18.6 billion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

The film is a story of urban striving set against the backdrop of an emerging crop of skyscrapers, and to stand out from the crowds within them is the protagonist’s ardent ambition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

I pictured it in our basement bathroom, its delicate wings set against the coarse cement.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• analyze
• contrast
• correlate
• equal
• match
• measure
• study