set upon

sɛt əˈpɒn

setting upon

Definition

Synonyms

Conjugation

Definition of set upon - Reverso English Dictionary

Phrasal verb

tr.

actionbegin an activity with determination

She set upon her studies with great enthusiasm.

assail

attack

embark

violenceattack someone aggressively or violently

The dog set upon the intruder viciously.

ambush

assault

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 upon 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.

standard conditions

agreements

set of agreed-upon criteria

release price maintenance

legal

agreement to set product price upon release

sicced

adj.

conflict

set upon or incited to attack

Examples of set upon in a sentence

They set upon their journey with excitement.
The gang set upon him in the alley.
Protesters were set upon by the police.

View all translations of set upon

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

French:s'atteler à, attaquer, ...
German:sich machen an, überfallen, ...
Italian:dedicarsi, aggredire, ...
Spanish:dedicarse, atacar, ...
Portuguese:lançar-se a, atacar, ...
Chinese:全力投入, 攻击, ...
Japanese:取りかかる, 襲いかかる, ...
Arabic:شَرَعَ في, هاجَمَ, ...
Hebrew:לְהַתְחִיל בִּנְחִישׁוּת, לְהִסְתָּעֵר עַל, ...
Russian:браться за, нападать, ...
Ukrainian:взятися, нападати, ...
Hindi:जुट जाना, आक्रमण करना, ...
Bengali:লেগে পড়া, আক্রমণ করা, ...
Catalan:posar-se a, atacar, ...
Czech:pustit se do něčeho, vrhnout se na někoho, ...
Danish:kaste sig over, angribe, ...
Dutch:beginnen aan, aanvallen, ...
Greek:καταπιάνομαι, επιτίθεμαι, ...
Hungarian:nekilátni, rátámadni, ...
Khmer:ចាប់ផ្តើមដោយការប្តេជ្ញាចិត្ត, វាយប្រហារសន្ធាប់លើ, ...
Korean:착수하다, 공격하다, ...
Persian:با جدیت به کاری پرداختن, حمله کرد, ...
Polish:zabierać się do, rzucić się, ...
Portuguese (BR):lançar-se a, atacar, ...
Romanian:a se apuca de, a năpusti, ...
Swedish:ta sig an, attackerade, ...
Thai:ลงมือทำ, โจมตี, ...
Turkish:koyulmak, 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.