SETS OFF Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

sets off

verb

present tense third-person singular of set off

as in triggers

to cause to function set off a bomb

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of sets off Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, an aging oil magnate whose drilling sets off an ecological disaster. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026 Ultimately, Miles sacrifices himself so that the others can escape, holding onto the detonator that sets off a massive explosion until his final breath. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 The idea that the relationship was ending sets off alarm bells for experts like Nikki Engel, who serves as the co-executive director of Violence Free Minnesota. — Conor Wight, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 The Southeast Asian nation sits on the Ring of Fire, a band around the Pacific Ocean that sets off frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026 That sets off a rescue mission — and also creates dangerous shifts in present-day reality. — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026 But the arrival of two strangers investigating her past sets off a series of events that prompts the residents of Crystal Lake to question who Pam Voorhees really is. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026 When the whole family sets off on a cross-country road trip to take teen Katie Mitchell to college, a rogue AI hatches a plan to launch all humans into space, and only the Mitchells can stop it. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026 Kit departs, leaving Lauren in tears, and sets off for Wyoming for a new job and a chance at a new life. — Barry Levitt, Time, 23 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sets off

Verb

What exactly triggers rapid true polar wander events and how far the poles move during them remains unknown.

— Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026
Back on Earth, the band remain comatose and their predicament triggers an obscure rule of the underworld known as the Coma Clause, which keeps the Gates of Hell open to them for as long as their bodies remain alive.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of triggers

Verb

The declaration activates the state's emergency management plan to prepare for hurricanes and other potential natural disasters, allowing actions including the deployment of personnel and equipment to respond.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
The geometry of the dome itself regulates ventilation and activates natural air circulation through the stack effect, complemented by floor-level air intake to prevent direct drafts and maintain a consistent microclimate.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of activates

Verb

Bruno and Drake Confront Each Other As the flirtatious energy between Karol and Bruno and Karol and Drake continues to heat up and sparks dating rumors, both men have made their interest clear.

— Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
Invaders may have finished off some of the great ancient civilizations, but only after they had been weakened by drought, famine, disease, flooding and internal divisions that catastrophe often sparks.

— Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of sparks

Verb

New seeker drives precision At the heart of PAC-3 Edge sits an advanced seeker developed at Lockheed Martin’s Strigo Product Center.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
Waymo’s new autonomous vehicle, called the Ojai, drives in Venice Beach, California, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

— Henry Payne, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of drives

Verb

Researchers are adapting the magnetron—the same component that powers microwave ovens—to provide the 10 megawatts of power required for ADS.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Feb. 2026
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

Definition of powers

Verb

Such plaudits raise the question of how Movistar Plus moves forward from here.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
The mountains east to Hickory could see an average 3 or 4 inches of rain before the system moves from the region by Sunday afternoon, NWS meteorologist Chris Horne told The Charlotte Observer.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026