set the scene for

Idioms  

1. Also, set the stage for. Provide the underlying basis or background for, make likely or inevitable, as in Their fights about money set the scene for a divorce, or The comptroller's assessment of the firm's finances set the stage for a successful bond issue. These expressions allude to arranging a play's actors and properties on a theatrical stage. The first term dates from the late 1700s, the variant from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

However, Joel will no doubt be hoping that the exchange will set the scene for another, much more pricey property sale—that of his Long Island home, which he has owned since 2002.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 9, 2025

“Whatever the results, they are likely to be market moving and could well set the scene for the investor outlook for the remainder of the year,” Interactive Investor head of markets Richard Hunter writes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

The incident set the scene for a tense first half.

From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025

The results from this poll set the scene for the official counting of votes which starts at 09:00 local time on Saturday and is expected to continue across the weekend.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2024

Luck had set the scene for the lumberman's favourite trick.

From The Ruling Passion; tales of nature and human nature by Van Dyke, Henry