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

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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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

set against

More legal proceedings are sure to follow since the major conferences are dead set against allowing anyone who has been in the pros to play any more college ball.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

The eastern city of Baalbek has one of Lebanon's best-known landmarks: a stunningly well-preserved Roman temple complex set against the mountainous border with Syria.

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 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

D’Angelo’s children introduced the medley, which was set against a backdrop of floor to ceiling windows looking out on a starry sky.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

It was covered with yellowish rocks and the whitest asphodels set against the already hard blue of the sky.

From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus

Related Words

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