set one's sights

English

Alternative forms

• set sights

Pronunciation

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Verb

set one's sights (third-person singular simple present sets one's sights, present participle setting one's sights, simple past and past participle set one's sights)

1. (transitive with on) To give one's close attention to, especially as a goal, objective, or other object of special interest.

   to set one's sights high

   • 1984 October 30, “Pocket of Atlanta Fights Developers”, in New York Times, retrieved 1 August 2015:

     Spurred by a real estate boom in which houses that sold for $15,000 just six years ago now sell for upwards of $150,000, the developers have set their sights on Cabbagetown.

   • 2006 November 1, Steve Rosenbush, “Is a Google-Clear Channel deal at hand?”, in Businessweek, retrieved 1 August 2015:

     Google, known for its cutting-edge Internet software, may be setting its sights on the low-tech radio market.

   • 2008 June 27, “Blair Campaigns for Climate Action”, in Time, retrieved 1 August 2015:

     Blair has also set his sights on solving another insolvable problem during his retirement: climate change.

Further reading

• “set ones sights on something”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “set your sights on sth”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “set one's sights”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “set sights on” in Idioms and phrases, TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.
• “set your sights high” in Idioms and phrases, TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.