set the pace

verb

To establish the speed for a group to move at, for example in a race.

“In May 2003, South Africa set the pace by banning thin plastic bags and imposing a tax on thick ones.”

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Meanings

verbset the pace (third-person singular simple present sets the pace, present participle setting the pace, simple past and past participle set the pace)

present singular third person sets the pace · participle present setting the pace

  1. To establish the speed for a group to move at, for example in a race.
  2. idiomaticTo establish a common goal by example.

    In May 2003, South Africa set the pace by banning thin plastic bags and imposing a tax on thick ones.

    1 more example

    OpenAI, which ignited the boom, continues to set the pace in many ways. Usage of ChatGPT more than doubled, to 10% of the world’s population.

    2025 December 11, Charlie Campbell, Andrew R. Chow and Billy Perrigo, “The Architects of AI Are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year”, in Time

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
make the runningpace
Cite this entry
APA

set the pace. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20the%20pace

MLA

“set the pace.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20the%20pace. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “set the pace,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20the%20pace.

Source: set the pace on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.