set about

sɛt əˈbaʊt

setting about

Definition

Synonyms

Conjugation

Definition of set about - Reverso English Dictionary

Phrasal verb

tr.

begin taskstart doing something with determination

She set about cleaning the house.

commence

undertake

physical confrontation

Rare

attack or confront someone physically

Rare

He set about the intruder with unexpected ferocity..

assault

attack

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with set

set up

prepare something for use or operation

They set up the equipment for the concert.

all set

adj.

ready and prepared for an activity

We are all set for the trip.

set down

allow passengers to leave a vehicle

The bus set down passengers at the station.

set foot

enter a place, often with emphasis

She never set foot in that house again.

set back the clock

move a clock's time to an earlier hour

Remember to set back the clock before you go to bed.

set fire to

cause something to start burning

The vandals set fire to the abandoned building.

Terms with set about included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.

departing

adj.

travel

about to leave or set out on a journey

customer survey

business

set of questions used to gather opinions from buyers about services

information pack

communication

set of materials giving key facts and details about something

family policy

public policy

set of rules or plans about support for parents and children

opinion survey

research

set of questions used to measure what people think about something

constituted

adj.

establishment

brought about or set up, especially long established

press review

critical coverage

set of critical articles by journalists about one event or work

religious doctrine

belief system

set of beliefs about god or gods

Examples of set about in a sentence

They set about organizing the event early in the morning.
The boxer set about his opponent as soon as the bell rang.
She set about the mugger with her handbag, surprising everyone.

View all translations of set about

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:s'atteler à, attaquer, ...
German:beginnen, angreifen, ...
Italian:iniziare, attaccare, ...
Spanish:ponerse a, atacar, ...
Portuguese:começar, atacar, ...
Chinese:开始, 攻击, ...
Japanese:始める, 襲いかかる, ...
Arabic:شَرَعَ, هَاجَمَ, ...
Hebrew:לְהַתְחִיל בְּ, לְהִתְנַפֵּל עַל, ...
Russian:приступить к, напасть, ...
Ukrainian:взятися, напасти, ...
Hindi:लग जाना, हमला करना, ...
Bengali:লেগে পড়া, আক্রমণ করা, ...
Catalan:posar-se a, atacar, ...
Czech:pustit se do, napadnout, ...
Danish:gå i gang med, angribe, ...
Dutch:beginnen, aanvallen, ...
Greek:καταπιάνομαι με, επιτίθεμαι, ...
Hungarian:hozzáfogni, rátámadni, ...
Khmer:ចាប់ផ្តើមធ្វើដោយម៉ឺងម៉ាត់, វាយប្រហារ, ...
Korean:시작하다, 공격하다, ...
Persian:دست به کار شدن, حمله کردن, ...
Polish:zabrać się, rzucić się na, ...
Portuguese (BR):começar, atacar, ...
Romanian:a se apuca, a ataca, ...
Swedish:ta itu med, attackera, ...
Thai:ลงมือ, โจมตี, ...
Turkish:başlamak, saldırmak, ...
Vietnamese:bắt tay vào, tấn công, ...

Browse the dictionary entries starting with “s”:

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.

Definition of set about - Reverso English Dictionary

Phrasal verb

Expressions with set

Terms related to set about

Terms with set about included in their meaning

Examples of set about in a sentence

View all translations of set about

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

Get more than a simple definition

Go from understanding to mastery