Setting aside is a phrase that is commonly used to describe the act of reserving or putting something to one side. There are a number of synonyms that can be used to convey a similar meaning, such as earmarking, allocating, reserving, designating, or putting aside. Earmarking often refers to setting funds aside for a particular purpose, allocating describes assigning something to a specific person or task, while reserving and designating both suggest setting something aside for a specific use or reserve. Putting aside, on the other hand, is a more general term that refers to setting something aside without necessarily specifying a particular use or purpose.