Set aside meaning
Set aside means to keep money or time for one special use. It can also mean to decide not to think about something for now, because something else matters more.
set something aside
set aside · set · setting
I set aside fifty euros a month for holidays.
Set aside meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Keep money or time for one special use
set something aside
- I set aside fifty euros a month for holidays.
- Try to set aside an hour a day for reading.
- This cake is for Dad, so I’ve set it aside.
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2
Decide not to think about something for now, because something else matters more
set something aside
- Let’s set aside our differences and work together.
- She set her fears aside and jumped.
- Setting aside the cost, is it a good idea?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use set aside in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is set aside separable?
Set aside is separable: set aside some money, set some money aside. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: set it aside, not set aside it.
Setting aside at the start of a sentence means not thinking about something for a moment: Setting aside the price, I love it. In law, set aside a decision means cancel it.
Verb tenses for set aside
| Present | I set aside · she sets aside |
|---|---|
| Past | set aside |
| Present perfect | have set aside |
| -ing form | setting aside |
Common mistakes with set aside
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: This money is for the trip. Please set aside it.
Right: This money is for the trip. Please set it aside.
A pronoun goes between set and aside.
Wrong: I set aside ten minutes to doing yoga.
Right: I set aside ten minutes for yoga.
Use for + noun or for + -ing, not to doing.
Wrong: I setted aside some money every week.
Right: I set aside some money every week.
Set does not change in the past.
Synonyms and opposites of set aside
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- save upkeep money over time to buy something later
- put asidemeans almost the same; a little more informal
- reserveformal; keep something for a person or a use
Opposite
- spenduse money or time
- use upuse all of something so none is left
Set aside quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Every month she ___ some money for emergencies.
Set aside means keep money for one special use.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The pronoun goes between set and aside.
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3“Let’s set aside our differences.” What does the speaker want?
Set aside can mean not think about something for now.
More phrasal verbs with set
5 phrasal verbs start with set. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Set aside FAQ
Questions people ask about set aside.
Set aside vs put aside: what is the difference?
They mean almost the same. Set aside sounds a bit more formal and is common for time and budgets. Put aside is common in everyday talk.
Set aside vs save up: what is the difference?
Save up is about keeping money for a long time to buy something. Set aside is about keeping a part for one use, like 100 euros for food.
What does setting aside mean at the start of a sentence?
It means not thinking about one thing for a moment. Setting aside the weather, the trip was great.
Use set aside in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.