set ɪn stoʊn
General
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Carved permanently into stone
What does "set in stone" mean?
- Fixed and unchangeable
- Permanent and not subject to modification
Examples
- These plans aren't set in stone—we can adjust.
- The deadline is set in stone.
- Nothing is set in stone yet.
Origin
From ancient practice of carving important laws and rules into stone for permanence. Think Ten Commandments.
How to use it
Often used in the negative ('not set in stone'). Common in negotiations and planning.
Similar expressions
fixed
permanent
unchangeable
final
Opposites
flexible
negotiable
changeable
tentative
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "set in stone" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.