as in to trigger
to cause to function
set off a bomb
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ornament
something that decorates or beautifies
the architect used stone carvings as setoffs for the building's marble facing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of set off
Mark Prussin, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
This is supposed to set off a fatal fit of jealous insecurity on Charli’s part.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
That setoff a worldwide hunt for the impact site.
—Roni Dengler, Discover Magazine, 21 Feb. 2019
See All Example Sentences for set off
Verb
While crews were investigating, an explosion rocked the 15th and 16th floors, setting off multiple fires and briefly trapping firefighters in an elevator.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
This is supposed to set off a fatal fit of jealous insecurity on Charli’s part.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
Noun
That setoff a fast-moving timeline that will ultimately determine if third graders who fall short on the test will move on to fourth grade or be held back.
—Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
That setoff a worldwide hunt for the impact site.
—Roni Dengler, Discover Magazine, 21 Feb. 2019
See All Example Sentences for set off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for set off
Verb
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The landslide was triggered by heavy rains, but ex-miners blame unsafe conditions.—
Justin Kabumba,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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If the infection is not contained by the body’s immune response, the bacteria destroys lung tissue which can trigger chest pain and coughing up of mucus or blood.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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After removing ornaments and dusting your tree, go ahead and dismantle it.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
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The Four Freedoms Roosevelt named were not rhetorical ornaments offered as inspiration so much as a diagnosis.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Neuroscience has long shown that watching another person experience pain activates the same neural regions as experiencing pain ourselves.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The elaborate beading ornamentation is a tribal tradition, now in decline as Westernization takes its toll on tribal communities who live in the vicinity of ever-expanding urban areas.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Buried amidst the ornamentation is a tiny frog on a skull that students look to for good luck.—
Rick Steves,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That last-minute development is reviving debate about the extent of state support for Vanke, one of the last major developers to have avoided an outright default after a broader property market slump sparked record debt failures in recent years.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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Not long after, Liv Morgan questioned Balor’s approach with Punk, which helped spark the chaos that closed the show.—
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The edifice boasts an abundance of sculpted decoration, while its grand staircase echoes Michelangelo’s design for the Laurentian Library in Florence.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Throughout the home, there has been an obvious attention to detail and decoration.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Violent confrontations targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota are being driven by outside actors exploiting chaos, not organic protest, according to a protest insider warning that the situation is rapidly spiraling.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The driver then drove into the city of Wheat Ridge and allegedly crashed into a Honda Pilot near Pierce Street and West 32nd Avenue several minutes later before continuing on.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And earlier this month, the department had announced that the first batch of administrative wage garnishment notices would be sent out to borrowers’ employers.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Are wages exempt from garnishment in Texas?—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Set off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/set%20off. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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