set down

verb

set down; setting down; sets down

transitive verb

1
: to cause to sit down : seat
2
: to place at rest on a surface or on the ground
3
: to suspend (a jockey) from racing
4
: to cause or allow to get off a vehicle : deliver
5
: to land (an airplane) on the ground or water
6
b
: to put in writing
7
a
: regard, consider
set him down as a liar
b

Examples of set down in a Sentence

set the toddler down in her seat set down the names of those in attendance
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His first three months as USC’s men’s basketball coach were a full-on sprint, with a new staff to hire, a roster to rebuild and a hoops program to reinvigorate — not to mention roots to set down in the South Bay. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2025 Your heart deserves to set down some of that baggage! Nina Kahn, StyleCaster, 24 Feb. 2025 After fleeing prison, Mr. Fateh set down roots in the braided hillsides of Deh Wayran, an area that was largely free of the Taliban. Azam Ahmed, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024 After stints in Santa Maria, Sonoma and New Zealand, Chin was ready to set down roots and be closer to his friends in the South Bay. Laura Ness, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for set down

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of set down was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Set down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20down. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

set down

verb
1
: to cause to sit down : seat
2
: to place at rest on a surface or on the ground
3
: to land (an airplane) on the ground or water
4
: establish sense 2
the government set down laws
5
: to put in writing

More from Merriam-Webster on set down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!