set

/sɛt/

//sɛt// verb

"set" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“set” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #234 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#234
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To put (something) down, to rest.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

set vs so
33% similar
set vs SI
0% similar
set vs SS
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for set
PropertyValue
Headwordset
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/sɛt/
Letters3
Frequency rank#234
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “set” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). set lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for set is 3 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /sɛt/. Corpus data places it at rank #234 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 47 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for set in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "so", "SI", "SS", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English setten, from Old English settan, from Proto-West Germanic *sattjan, from Proto-Germanic *satjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sodéyeti, causative of *sed- (“to sit”). The correct English form is set, spelled S-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To put (something) down, to rest.
  2. 2
    To attach or affix (something) to something else, or in or upon a certain place.
  3. 3
    To put in a specified condition or state; to cause to be.
  4. 4
    To start (a fire).
  5. 5
    To cause to stop or stick; to obstruct; to fasten to a spot.
  6. 6
    To determine or settle.
  7. 7
    To adjust.
  8. 8
    To punch (a nail) into wood so that its head is below the surface.
  9. 9
    To arrange with dishes and cutlery, to set the table.
  10. 10
    To introduce or describe.
  11. 11
    To locate (a play, etc.); to assign a backdrop to, geographically or temporally.
  12. 12
    To compile, to make (a puzzle or challenge).
  13. 13
    To prepare (a stage or film set).
  14. 14
    To fit (someone) up in a situation.
  15. 15
    To arrange (type).
  16. 16
    To devise and assign (work) to.
  17. 17
    To direct (the ball) to a teammate for an attack.
  18. 18
    To solidify.
  19. 19
    To render stiff or solid; especially, to convert into curd; to curdle.
  20. 20
    Of a heavenly body, to disappear below the horizon of a planet, etc, as the latter rotates.
  21. 21
    To defeat a contract.
  22. 22
    To begin to move; to go forth.
  23. 23
    To produce after pollination.
  24. 24
    To be fixed for growth; to strike root; to begin to germinate or form.
  25. 25
    To sit (be in a seated position).
  26. 26
    To rest or lie somewhere, on something, etc.; to occupy a certain place.
  27. 27
    To hunt game with the aid of a setter.
  28. 28
    Of a dog, to indicate the position of game.
  29. 29
    To apply oneself; to undertake earnestly.
  30. 30
    To fit music to words.
  31. 31
    To place plants or shoots in the ground; to plant.
  32. 32
    To become fixed or rigid; to be fastened.
  33. 33
    To have a certain direction of motion; to flow; to move on; to tend.
  34. 34
    To acknowledge a dancing partner by facing him or her and moving first to one side and then to the other, while she or he does the opposite.
  35. 35
    To place or fix in a setting.
  36. 36
    To put in order in a particular manner; to prepare.
  37. 37
    To extend and bring into position; to spread.
  38. 38
    To give a pitch to, as a tune; to start by fixing the keynote.
  39. 39
    To reduce from a dislocated or fractured state.
  40. 40
    To sit or lie (easily etc.) on the stomach; to be digested in a certain manner.
  41. 41
    To lower into place and fix solidly, as the blocks of cut stone in a structure.
  42. 42
    To wager in gambling; to risk.
  43. 43
    To adorn with something infixed or affixed; to stud; to variegate with objects placed here and there.
  44. 44
    To value; to rate; used with at.
  45. 45
    To establish as a rule; to furnish; to prescribe; to assign.
  46. 46
    To suit; to become.
  47. 47
    To cause (a domestic fowl) to sit on eggs to brood.

Etymology

From Middle English setten, from Old English settan, from Proto-West Germanic *sattjan, from Proto-Germanic *satjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sodéyeti, causative of *sed- (“to sit”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "set"?
"set" is spelled S-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /sɛt/.
What does "set" mean?
As a verb, "set" means: To put (something) down, to rest.
What words are commonly confused with "set"?
"set" is commonly confused with "so", "SI", "SS". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "set"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "set" is /sɛt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "set"?
From Middle English setten, from Old English settan, from Proto-West Germanic *sattjan, from Proto-Germanic *satjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sodéyeti, causative of *sed- (“to sit”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “set”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /sɛt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “so” - see the side-by-side comparison. set vs so
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list