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

The 22-year-old set the pace during a first lap of 55.54 seconds and although Hodgkinson hit the front with 300m remaining, Werro cruised past her just after they turned onto the home straight.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

As Goldstein reported, the state has often set the pace for Republican education policy in the Trump era.

From Salon • May 14, 2026

Matejka’s hunch is that unlike 2025, Magnificent Seven stocks may not set the pace in a rebound and the leadership may be more broad-based.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

SpaceX has set the pace in the space launch market, offering reusable rockets that vastly reduce the cost of putting satellites into orbit and itself owning the largest satellite constellation, Starlink.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

It would be a while before new classical music set the pace of change.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall