as in triggers
to cause to function
set off a bomb
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Recent Examples of sets off
The Carbon offers Apple Find My tracker integration and has its own Turbo System Lock that kills the motor and (optionally) sets off lights and siren alarms when the bike is moved while disabled.
—
Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2025
In Roland Emmerich’s enviro-disasterpiece, climate change sets off a series of events that send massive superstorms across the Earth, hurtling us into a new Ice Age.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Eager to convince the family of her and March’s love, Nat sets off to become a useful ghost and offers to cleanse the factory.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
How language encodes value judgments Such logic sets off alarm bells for anyone familiar with the history of eugenics, a movement that began with the idea of improving America by making its people healthier and quickly evolved to make judgments about who is and is not fit to participate in society.
—Megan Donelson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
The character Kracht sets off on a sentimental road trip with his demented, aging mother, who is also addicted to both drugs and alcohol.
—The Know, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
The detail on the cuffs is subtle (a nod to the railway tracks that once served the Liverpool docklands where their new stadium has been built) but sets off the rest of the shirt really nicely.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2025
In Roland Emmerich’s enviro-disasterpiece, climate change sets off a series of events that send massive superstorms across the Earth, hurtling us into a new Ice Age.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Eager to convince the family of her and March’s love, Nat sets off to become a useful ghost and offers to cleanse the factory.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
How language encodes value judgments Such logic sets off alarm bells for anyone familiar with the history of eugenics, a movement that began with the idea of improving America by making its people healthier and quickly evolved to make judgments about who is and is not fit to participate in society.
—Megan Donelson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
The character Kracht sets off on a sentimental road trip with his demented, aging mother, who is also addicted to both drugs and alcohol.
—The Know, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
The detail on the cuffs is subtle (a nod to the railway tracks that once served the Liverpool docklands where their new stadium has been built) but sets off the rest of the shirt really nicely.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sets off
Verb
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Sepsis develops when an infection triggers a harmful immune response.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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The disease triggers nerve cells in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die, leading to uncontrolled movements, emotional or behavioral problems, and loss of cognition.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, neuroscientific studies demonstrate that musical engagement activates the brain’s reward system, enhancing motivation, emotional regulation, and memory formation.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
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The former will, before a collision, pull passengers back into the best position to absorb the impact of a crash by tightening the belt, while the latter — which activates milliseconds after a collision occurs — allows the seat belt to gently unspool to relieve the force on that person’s chest.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Dallas shooting sparks broader concerns over political violence The deadly shooting at the Dallas ICE facility has reignited national conversations about political violence, with some drawing parallels to the killing of Charlie Kirk and other recent high-profile attacks.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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Heat treatment sparks progress The battery showed excellent performance.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Time to turn the heater on as King Sport drives late into the first quarter.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
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Cadillac, Genesis, Lucid, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Polestar allowed for short loop test drives around Corktown and back.—
Keenan Thompson,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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How Wisconsin's solar battery park powers 130,000 homes The Paris Solar farm began producing power in December 2024 and generates 200 megawatts of renewable electricity during the day.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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This process, which powers the sun and stars, offers the potential for a virtually limitless power source.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The National Hurricane Center says a tropical depression is likely to form by mid to late week as the system moves west-northwestward.—
Daniel Peck,
ABC News,
23 Sep. 2025
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If the project moves forward, construction could begin in the early 2030s and complete later in the decade, Conway said.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sets off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sets%20off. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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