Phrasal verbs with set are an important part of English, helping you express ideas clearly and naturally. The phrasal verbs with “set” are especially useful because they appear in daily conversations, writing, and news, with several common meanings such as start, begin, prepare, delay, and trigger.
In this lesson, you’ll learn the most useful phrasal verbs with SET, with pronunciation, meanings, examples, and essential grammar notes so you can use them with confidence in every context.
List of Common Phrasal Verbs with SET
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Set about
Set aside
Set back
Set down
Set forth
Set in
Set off
Set on
Set out
Set up
Set upon
Phrasal Verbs with SET: Meaning and Examples
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of each phrasal verb with set, organized with clear meanings, real-world examples, and essential grammar rules.
Set about
/sɛt əˈbaʊt/transitiveinseparable
📖 To start doing something in a determined way
He set about cleaning the house before his guests arrived.
🔄 Synonyms:beginstartget down to
Set aside
/sɛt əˈsaɪd/transitiveseparable
📖 1To save or reserve something for a specific purpose
She set aside part of her salary to pay for a short course.
📖 2To ignore or not consider something temporarily
The team set their differences aside to work together.
🔄 Synonyms:savereserveput away
Set back
/sɛt bæk/transitiveseparable
📖 1To delay progress or make something happen later than planned
The storm set back the construction schedule by two weeks.
📖 2To cost someone a particular amount of money
Fixing the leaking roof set us back $500.
📖 3To be positioned farther back than something else
The house is set back from the road, with a long driveway.
🔄 Synonyms:delayhold backcost
Set down
/sɛt daʊn/transitiveseparable
📖 1To write something officially or clearly
The guidelines are set down in the company handbook.
📖 2To put something down on a surface
She set down her bag on the table.
🔄 Synonyms:recordwrite downput down
Set forth
/sɛt fɔːrθ/intransitive-transitiveinseparable
📖 1To begin a journey (formal)
They set forth on their journey at dawn.
📖 2To state ideas, facts, or arguments clearly
The report sets forth a clear plan for improving customer service.
🔄 Synonyms:presentexplainlay out
The first five phrasal verbs with set show how this verb expresses initiation and organization. “Set about” and “set forth” describe starting activities, while “set aside,” “set back,” and “set down” focus on reserving, delaying, and recording.
Set in
/sɛt ɪn/intransitiveinseparable
📖 To begin and seem likely to continue, often used for negative situations
After the sudden power cut, panic set in.
🔄 Synonyms:begintake holdstart
Set off
/sɛt ɔːf/intransitive-transitiveseparable
📖 1To start a journey
We set off early to avoid traffic.
📖 2To trigger an alarm or reaction
The smoke set off the fire alarm.
📖 3To cause an explosion
The blast was set off by a small device.
📖 4To make someone react emotionally
His rude comment set her off immediately.
📖 5To make something look better by contrast
The dark frame sets off the bright artwork.
🔄 Synonyms:start outtriggeractivate
Set on
/sɛt ɒn/transitiveseparable
📖 1To make a person or animal attack someone
The guard set the dog on the intruder.
📖 2To begin attacking someone
The attackers set on him without warning.
🔄 Synonyms:unleashturn onsic
Set out
/sɛt aʊt/intransitive-transitiveinseparable
📖 1To start a journey
They set out on a road trip last summer.
📖 2To start a task with a goal in mind
She set out to improve her English pronunciation.
📖 3To explain or present ideas clearly
The handbook sets out the rules for new employees.
🔄 Synonyms:start outaimlay out
Set up
/sɛt ʌp/transitiveseparable
📖 1To arrange or prepare something for use
The team set up the meeting room before the presentation.
📖 2To establish or start something
They set up a new branch to expand into the city.
📖 3To trick someone to make them look guilty
He was set up by his colleagues.
📖 4To arrange a trap or operation
The police set up a sting operation.
🔄 Synonyms:arrangeestablishframe
The phrasal verbs above cover the most common patterns. The following expressions continue to show this verb’s range in both formal and informal contexts.
Set upon
/sɛt əˈpɒn/transitiveinseparable
📖 To attack someone suddenly
A group of thieves set upon him in a quiet street.
🔄 Synonyms:attackassaultambush
Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs with SET
Learners often confuse or misuse phrasal verbs with set. Here are three common mistakes and how to correct them:
❌ Wrong“I set off the equipment.” (when meaning “I prepared the equipment”)
✅ Correct“I set up the equipment.” (meaning prepared or arranged it)
❌ Wrong“The problem set in our plans.” (incorrect use of “set in”)
✅ Correct“A problem set in.” OR “A problem arose in our plans.” (set in = began and continued)
❌ Wrong“Set down your ideas on the paper quickly.” (missing context)
✅ Correct“Set down your ideas in writing.” OR “The rules are set down in the handbook.” (official or written)
Key Grammar Notes
Dialogue Examples with Phrasal Verbs with SET
💬 Travel Planning Conversation
A
We should set out early tomorrow. The traffic could set back our schedule.
B
Good idea. I’ll set up the route on my phone and set aside some snacks for the trip.
A
Perfect. Once winter sets in, roads can get dangerous.
B
True. Let’s not set off the alarm this time—last trip, the smoke from our camp stove set it off!
