phrasal verb · neutral
set on
UK/sɛt ɒn/US/sɛt ɑn/SET·on
speakingtask2
to attack someone suddenly, or to encourage someone to do something (less common)
Examples
“The traveller was set on by a group of youths and robbed.”
“He was set on to steal by his older brother.”
“Local residents feared their dogs would be set on by strangers.”
Band 8 sentence
“Witnesses reported that the hiker was suddenly set on by two men who then fled with his backpack.”
Collocations
- set on + someone
- set someone on to do sth
Word family
set verbset someone on to + V phrase
Common mistakes
set upon→set on
set on somebody with→set on somebody
Say it for a higher band
5attack→6assault→7+set on
Synonyms
attack
incite
Easily confused
set upon
“They were set upon by thieves.”
attack
“The soldiers were ordered to attack at dawn.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In set …
Learn it with its set