Set In (Verb)
Meaning 1
Blow toward the shore; "That gale could set in on us with the next high tide".
Classification
Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering.
Examples
- Nightmares often set in if she stayed alone for too long in the dimly lit cabin by the woods.
- Frost could set in, bringing ruin to the entire season's crops if the weather pattern persisted.
- Another period of unfavorable weather might set in soon, halting progress in the excavation project.
- Residents were advised to prepare as intense heatwaves could set in over the weekend, further taxing water supplies.
- Darkness began to set in, casting a shadow over the entire valley as storm clouds obscured the late afternoon sun.
Meaning 2
Enter a particular state; "Laziness set in"; "After a few moments, the effects of the drug kicked in".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- Darkness set in long before we could find our way back to the campsite.
- Rain set in on the day of the wedding, and everyone had to scramble to move inside.
- The pain of grief didn't set in until long after the funeral was over.
- As the night wore on, the effects of the anesthesia began to set in, and I started to feel numb.
- A sense of unease set in when I realized I was completely alone in the house.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Become established; "winter has set in".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The cold weather had set in by the end of October.
- The rainy season set in early that year, causing floods.
- A severe drought had set in, affecting crop production.
- Summer was over, and autumn had set in with vivid colors.
- As the night grew darker, an eerie silence had set in.