setlist

noun

set·list ˈset-ˌlist

plural setlists

: the planned components of a performance

especially : the songs chosen to be performed by a musical artist at a concert

The Glaswegian singer was in the finest of voices as he ran through a 16-song setlist for fans … —Kirsty Bosley

: a written list of the components of a performance and especially of the songs performed by a musical artist

Most bands don't release their setlist ahead of their performances, as that takes away part of the excitement.—Rachael Davies

Examples of setlist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The singer has been made to thread the tough but necessary needle of fitting her aughts hits and her new music into a single setlist. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2026 Some people were glad to see the song removed from the Stones’ setlist, while others decried the decision. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026 Gaga released the tune last September and incorporated it into her Mayhem Ball Tour setlist. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 8 July 2026 Bon Jovi was joined onstage by fellow original members Tico Torres and David Bryan, along with Hugh McDonald, John Shanks, Phil X and Everett Bradley, as the band performed for more than two hours with a 21-song setlist of all their greatest hits. — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for setlist

Word History

Etymology

set entry 2 (sense 19) + list entry 1

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of setlist was in 1935

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

setline

setlist

set mark

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Setlist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/setlist. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

setlist

noun

Examples of setlist in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fulcrum

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes