Meaning & use
set apart
Last updated
Meanings
verbphrasal verb
To make someone or something different from others and therefore special or noticeable.
Grammar: Takes an object; the object usually comes between the words: set someone apart. Often used as 'set apart from'.
Patterns
- set someone apart from someone
- set something apart from something
- what sets someone apart is …
Her clear writing sets her apart from other applicants.
What sets this school apart is its small classes.
The bright red door sets the house apart from its neighbors.
verbphrasal verb
To keep something for a special purpose, or to separate it from the rest.
Grammar: Takes an object, which can come before or after 'apart': set apart some money / set some money apart.
Patterns
- set apart something for something
- set something apart for someone
- be set apart for a purpose
They set apart a small room for guests.
Each week she sets some money apart for emergencies.
The land was set apart for a new park.
Word forms
| third person singular | sets apart |
|---|---|
| past tense | set apart |
| past participle | set apart |
| -ing form | setting apart |
Common combinations
- set someone apart from the rest
- His honesty sets him apart from the rest of the team.
- what sets something apart
- What sets this phone apart is its battery life.
- set apart time for something
- Try to set apart time for reading each evening.
- set apart land for something
- The council set apart land for a new school.
- be set apart by something
- The two villages are set apart by a wide river.
Synonyms and how they differ
- distinguish
- A more formal verb meaning to show a difference; 'set apart' often sounds warmer and more personal.
- separate
- Simply means to divide or keep apart, without the idea of being special or better.
- reserve
- Fits the second sense well when you keep something for later use, but it does not mean 'make special'.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: set apart or set aside?
set apart vs set aside
'Set aside' means to save or ignore something, while 'set apart' usually means to make someone or something special.
Practice
Her kindness and patience ___ her ___ from other teachers.
Choose one answer.
'Set apart' means to make someone noticeably different and special. 'Set aside' means to save or ignore, 'set off' means to start a journey or trigger something, and 'set up' means to arrange or establish.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “set apart”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.