set on
Britishverb
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(preposition) to cause to attack
they set the dogs on him
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(adverb) to instigate or incite; urge
he set the child on to demand food
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Also, set upon.
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Attack; see set at .
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Instigate, urge one to engage in action, as in The older boys set on the young ones to get in trouble . [Early 1500s]
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. Be determined to, as in He's set on studying law .
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.
The house is set on a 7,645-square-foot lot with a swimming pool in the backyard and ample room for lounging.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
The determined midfielder had his sights set on the 2026 World Cup before he even made his debut for Freiburg or won his first senior cap for Switzerland.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Ahead of the event, Pyrotecnico told AFP they were aiming to break the world record for the largest firework display, which was set on New Year's Day 2016 in the Philippines with around 810,000 fireworks.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
Pochettino has his sights set on taking the whole entire thing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
“It isn’t this smooth and easy. You don’t just fly in and get set on a perfect lake and have all the food you want and have it all come this easy. It isn’t real.”
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
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.
