set a date

Meaning

To 'set a date' means to decide on and schedule a specific day and time for a future event, meeting, or deadline. It is a standard collocation used to finalize plans in both professional and personal contexts.

Examples

• We need to set a date for the project launch before we start hiring.

  We need to set a date for the project launch before we start hiring.

• Have you and the client managed to set a date for the next meeting?

  Have you and the client managed to set a date for the next meeting?

• Let's set a date for our team-building event so everyone can block their calendars.

  Let's set a date for our team-building event so everyone can block their calendars.

• They haven't set a date for the product release yet, but it will be sometime in autumn.

  They haven't set a date for the product release yet, but it will be sometime in autumn.

• We should meet next week to set a date for the annual performance reviews.

  We should meet next week to set a date for the annual performance reviews.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Let's put a date for the meeting.

  ✓ Let's set a date for the meeting.

  'Put a date' is a literal translation from other languages. The correct English collocation is 'set a date' or 'fix a date'.

• ✗ We decided to make a date for the launch.

  ✓ We decided to set a date for the launch.

  While 'make a date' exists, it is highly informal and usually refers to romantic dating. In a business context, always use 'set a date'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We should ___ for our next catch-up before we leave today.

  💡 Schedule a specific day.

  Show answer

  set a date

• They are still trying to ___ for the board meeting.

  💡 Decide on a calendar day.

  Show answer

  set a date