set the pace

Idioms  

1. Establish a standard for others to follow, as in Jim has set the pace for the department, exceeding the monthly quota every time. This expression comes from racing, where it is said of a horse that passes the others and leads the field. It was transferred to other activities in the early 1900s.

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Example Sentences

From sports retail to healthcare equipment, global companies are grappling with the same question: how to compete in a market where domestic players set the pace, consumers demand constant adjustment and loyalty is increasingly transactional.

From MarketWatch

In the United States, California has set the pace, enacting a series of laws in 2024 that make transparency and integrity in AI use not just ethical ideals, but a legal requirement.

From Salon

McLaren's title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri struggled in first practice at the Las Vegas Grand Prix as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace.

From BBC

The aggressive plan reflects chief executive Sam Altman’s dream of turning OpenAI into a multitrillion-dollar tech giant, his desire to set the pace of the AI boom and his seemingly unending tolerance for risk.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace in a first practice session at the Mexico City Grand Prix in which nine teams ran rookie drivers.

From BBC