set-in
adjective
made separately and placed within another unit.
set-in
American
[set-in]
/ ˈsɛtˌɪn /
adjective
set in
British
verb
-
to become established
the winter has set in
-
(of wind) to blow or (of current) to move towards shore
adjective
set in
Idioms
-
Insert, put in, as in I still have to set in the sleeves and then the sweater will be done . [Late 1300s]
-
Begin to happen or become apparent, as in Darkness was setting in as I left . [c. 1700]
-
Move toward the shore, said of wind or water, as in The tide sets in very quickly here . [Early 1700s]
Etymology
Origin of set-in
First recorded in 1525–35; adj. use of verb phrase set in
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.
See Examples For:
“As a fisher that chases fish, it is really hard to go back to a set-in position just hoping the fish come to you. That’s a real adjustment.”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2023
This technique might do the trick on its own, but it also doubles as a pre-treatment for set-in stains on removable cushion covers that need to head to the laundry room.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2022
Max Mara’s oversized camel Teddy Bear Icon wool faux-fur coat has a rich and luxurious vibe with lapels, low set-in sleeves, double-breasted two-button fastening and welt pockets. $3,990.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2018
Take note: Her knee-covering straight skirts delivered a precise fit, due to the set-in waistband and back center zipper in most styles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2015
Mr. Courtenay has published some epistles in rhyme, in which he has honoured me with a dozen lines, and which are really some of the best in the whole set-in ridicule of my writings.
From The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 by Horace Walpole
Camarillo should reach 105 degrees and Oxnard 90 degrees, both smashing records of 86 set in 2015.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
None of this is set in stone, though.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
Santa Monica should reach 87 degrees, surpassing the daily record of 85 set in 2011; and Hawthorne is expected to hit 93 degrees, besting the record of 88 set in 2015.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
That is the world record time to visit every station in the New York City subway system, set in 2023 by speedrunner Kate Jones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
As panic set in I bumped into something—a submerged tree!
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
