set the world on fire

Idioms  

1. Perform an outstanding feat and win fame, as in An ambitious man, he longed to set the world on fire with his inventions. This hyperbolic expression uses set on fire in the sense of “arouse excitement in.” Also see set on fire, def. 2.

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Example Sentences

Sabitzer has not set the world on fire as a playmaker.

From BBC

"It's hard to measure what they consider to be a success with that one... it's still invite only and hasn't really set the world on fire," says Neil Long, the founder and editor of mobilegamer.biz, and who has been a video games journalist for more than 20 years.

From BBC

They will gladly help set the world on fire as long as they can bid on the contract to clear the debris.

From Slate

“There’s been some good, there’s been some bad, there’s been some ugly from all of them,” Bieniemy said, “but like I said, it’s still early. I’m not expecting us to come out and set the world on fire. What I want us to do is just to continue first and foremost, learn how to put consistent behavior on tape. Once we learn how to put consistent behavior on tape, the rest of everything will take care of itself.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Telegraph's Dominic Cavendish also awarded the play three stars and said it needed "a digital-era upgrade, and a shot more vigour, to set the world on fire".

From BBC