Idiom
Set in stone
If something is set in stone, it is fixed and cannot be changed.
How people use it
People most often use it in the negative to say a plan is still flexible: The dates aren't set in stone yet. It is common at work, at school and in family planning. It sounds informal to neutral. Related forms include carved in stone and written in stone, which mean the same thing. A plan that is set in stone is final; if someone says nothing is set in stone, they are inviting changes or suggestions.
Also said: carved in stone, written in stone.
Examples
- The schedule isn't set in stone, so tell me if Tuesday doesn't work for you.
- Our holiday plans are set in stone now that the flights are booked.
- Nothing is set in stone; we can still change the menu for the party.
Where it comes from
The image comes from carving words into stone, which people did for laws, monuments and records that were meant to last. Once letters were cut into stone, they could not be erased or changed. The figurative phrase for a fixed decision became common in the 1900s.
Check yourself
1. If your boss says the deadline is not set in stone, what does that mean?
Answer: It could change. Not set in stone means the deadline is flexible.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: The wedding date is set in stone, so the invitations can go out.. Set in stone means fixed and final, which fits a confirmed wedding date.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in STONE.