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Synonyms

set up shop

Idioms  
  1. Open a business, start a profession, as in Now that you've got your degree, where do you plan to set up shop? This idiom was first recorded about 1570.


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:

Such entrepreneurial packaging serves as a Trojan horse for scammers wanting to set up shop without drawing unwanted attention – and allows them to perpetrate their fraud more effectively.

From BBC Aug. 11, 2026

The civil war has seeded instability across Myanmar, creating fertile ground for organised crime groups running transnational scam operations to set up shop in fortified compounds, according to monitors.

From Barron's Jul. 28, 2026

La Roja landed in America over a month ago and set up shop at a ritzy private school in Chattanooga, Tenn. of all places.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 14, 2026

In 2020, India's National Education Policy announced that foreign universities would be allowed in the country and rules were notified in 2023, creating a legal mechanism for these institutions to set up shop.

From BBC Mar. 23, 2026

Dana, Caroline, and I set up shop by the Smart Board, painstakingly listing parents and siblings, relatives and friends.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

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