set piece

noun

plural set pieces

1

a

: a composition (as in literature, art, or music) executed in a fixed or ideal form often with studied artistry and brilliant effect

b

: a scene, depiction, speech, or event that is obviously designed to have an imposing effect

2

: a realistic piece of stage scenery standing by itself

3

: a precisely planned and conducted military operation

an offensive set piece that caught the enemy off guard

4

sports : a carefully planned sequence of movements performed by the members of a team (as in soccer)

A set piece can be used on either a direct or indirect type of [free] kick, providing one of the few times during the game that a team can execute something that it may have spent hours practicing.

—Doug Roberson

set-piece

ˈset-ˌpēs 

adjective

Examples of set piece in a Sentence

a movie with some lovely set pieces

She scored with a set piece.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Concord program focused on generating offense via set pieces – corner and free kicks – and kept the Dougherty Valley defense, led by Michael Xiong and Juan Sanchez, from getting too far forward. —Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025

Bastoni was brought off in the 82nd minute for Carlos Augusto, and in the 89th a set piece was swung into the box, Matteo Gabbia thumping home a powerful header. —Adam Digby, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025

Vermes said the team worked on defending that exact set piece this week after San Jose scored on a very similar set piece a week prior. —Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2025

This is not the first time Bell Works has been a set piece. —Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for set piece

• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice
• cerise
• decease
• decrease
• eyepiece
• facepiece
• handpiece
• headpiece
• increase