set the scene
idiom
1
: to give someone information that is needed to understand something
Before I tell the story, let me set the scene (for you).
2
: 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
The sparkling decor piece has become a central motif for the hospitality brand, founded in Tulum in 2013, and its new two-meter ball will set the scene as Gitano opens its first permanent New York location at Pier 17 in the Seaport District.
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Kristen Tauer, WWD, 6 Mar. 2025
The long-term ecological consequences of these human interventions may have set the scene for an explosion in mainland penguin populations.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2025
But the parties happening before and after the awards show set the scene for even sexier fashions to take flight.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Google has set the scene for the second generation of smartphone AI with Gemini and is pushing this and the Pixel 9 family online.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set the scene
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Kristen Tauer, WWD, 6 Mar. 2025
The long-term ecological consequences of these human interventions may have set the scene for an explosion in mainland penguin populations.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2025
But the parties happening before and after the awards show set the scene for even sexier fashions to take flight.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Google has set the scene for the second generation of smartphone AI with Gemini and is pushing this and the Pixel 9 family online.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set the scene
Cite this Entry
“Set the scene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20the%20scene. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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