set the scene

idiom

: to give someone information that is needed to understand something

Before I tell the story, let me set the scene (for you).

: to create the conditions in which something can happen

His comments set the scene for an argument.

Examples of set the scene in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Much of the testimony set the scene for how Trump's campaign dealt with negative stories. —

Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 26 May 2024 The mom of five — who shares Drake, 19, Ella, 17, Duke, 16, Emmie, 14, and Crew, 5, with Chip — continues to set the scene. —

Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024 The Mets decorated Citi Field’s famed home-run apple as a strawberry and mowed No. 18 into the center-field grass to further set the scene. —

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 June 2024 Indeed, the university set the scene for the millennial love story Normal People, where Connell and Marianne’s fraught romance was set against the backdrop of their time studying English literature and history and politics, respectively. —

Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 19 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for set the scene

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'set the scene.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Set the scene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20the%20scene. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

Copy Citation