Phrase guide

set in motion

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To trigger movement or progress; to get going.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: put in motion

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

get going; give impetus to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • launch a career
  • Her actions set in motion a complicated judicial process

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: launch

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

Narrower terms: launch

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 掀動 /掀动 (xiāndòng) — trigger movement or progress
  • Esperanto: ekmovi — trigger movement or progress
  • Finnish: laittaa liikkeelle — trigger movement or progress
  • Finnish: laittaa liikkeeseen — trigger movement or progress
  • French: mettre en branle — trigger movement or progress
  • French: mettre en mouvement — trigger movement or progress
  • German: in Bewegung setzen — trigger movement or progress
  • Hungarian: mozgásba hoz — trigger movement or progress
  • Ido: movar — trigger movement or progress
  • Italian: mettere in moto — trigger movement or progress
  • Latin: commoveō — trigger movement or progress
  • Latin: agitō — trigger movement or progress
  • Latin: cieō — trigger movement or progress
  • Māori: whakawaha — trigger movement or progress
  • Polish: nadawać bieg — trigger movement or progress
  • Polish: nadać bieg — trigger movement or progress
  • Russian: приводи́ть в де́йствие (privodítʹ v déjstvije) — trigger movement or progress
  • Sanskrit: सुवति (suvati) — trigger movement or progress
  • Spanish: poner en marcha — trigger movement or progress