set in motion

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Definition

Phrasal verb: 1. To cause something to start or begin operating: To initiate a process, series of events, or mechanical action. 2. To give impetus to; to launch: To provide the initial energy or force for something to start moving or developing.

Usage

This phrasal verb is transitive and separable. It is used to describe the act of starting a process, often one that is complex, lengthy, or significant. * The object (what is started) comes after the verb. * It is commonly used in formal, academic, and journalistic contexts.

Examples

  • Basic Usage:

    • The committee's report set in motion a complete review of company policy.
    • Pulling the lever set the machinery in motion.
    • Her speech set in motion a wave of protests across the country.

  • From the Reference Context:

    • Her actions set in motion a complicated judicial process.
Advanced Usage
  • Passive Voice: Often used to describe processes that have been initiated.
    • A chain of events was set in motion that could not be stopped.
  • Formal/Figurative Use: Frequently used for abstract processes (legal, social, political) rather than just physical movement.
    • The new law set in motion major reforms in the education system.
Variants and Related Words
  • Set something going: A more informal synonym.
  • Initiate (verb): To cause something to begin.
  • Trigger (verb): To cause an event or process to begin, often suddenly.
  • Activate (verb): To make something active or operational.
  • Launch (verb): To begin something, especially an organized or official activity.
Synonyms
  • Begin
  • Start
  • Initiate
  • Activate
  • Trigger
  • Instigate
  • Launch
  • Get underway
Antonyms
  • Halt
  • Stop
  • Terminate
  • Conclude
  • Arrest
  • Cease
Related Phrasal Verbs / Idioms
  • Set the wheels in motion: An idiom with a very similar meaning, emphasizing the start of a process.
    • We need to set the wheels in motion for the new project immediately.
  • Put something into motion: A near-identical phrase.
    • The board voted to put the plan into motion.
Verb
  1. get going; give impetus to
    • launch a career
    • Her actions set in motion a complicated judicial process

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