as in triggering
to cause to function
set off a bomb
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Recent Examples of setting off
In the finale, Rick shoots Jim, setting off a line of crossfire that ultimately kills his girlfriend Chelsea (Amy Lou Wood) before Sritala (Lek Patravadi) reveals that Jim was actually Rick’s father.
—
Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
One of his owners had gotten home from work and didn’t see him, setting off a search for clues.
—Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025
The amateur video shows the boat being pushed into the ocean down a track on the beach and then swaying within 15 minutes of setting off.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The Omni previously sought to demolish the building in 2019, setting off a years-long back-and-forth in local government and the courts over the fate of the structure.
—Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Qu reported the comment to UWM Police, setting off an investigation.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Gyokeres was setting off before Martin Odegaard even shaped to pass, running hard into the left channel, on the inside of Leny Yoro and moving beyond the United defender.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
The moment, which quickly went viral, saw the pair duck to hide their faces from the camera, setting off alarm bells and becoming instant fodder for online chatter.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
She’s quietly involved with bipartisan bills and careful to distance herself from the left without setting off fireworks.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
One of his owners had gotten home from work and didn’t see him, setting off a search for clues.
—Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025
The amateur video shows the boat being pushed into the ocean down a track on the beach and then swaying within 15 minutes of setting off.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The Omni previously sought to demolish the building in 2019, setting off a years-long back-and-forth in local government and the courts over the fate of the structure.
—Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Qu reported the comment to UWM Police, setting off an investigation.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Gyokeres was setting off before Martin Odegaard even shaped to pass, running hard into the left channel, on the inside of Leny Yoro and moving beyond the United defender.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
The moment, which quickly went viral, saw the pair duck to hide their faces from the camera, setting off alarm bells and becoming instant fodder for online chatter.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
She’s quietly involved with bipartisan bills and careful to distance herself from the left without setting off fireworks.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting off
Verb
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The last jackpot winner claimed their prize in California on May 31, triggering the current unprecedented streak.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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Imagine Maye triggering a triple-option run with Stevenson, keeping the ball and veering off the edge with Henderson behind him.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That’s why activating existing natural strengths not only boosts the leader’s self-confidence but also instills trust in the team.—
Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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For example, one brain imaging study found that activating opioid receptors in the hypothalamus (often called the control coordinating center of the brain) partially helped with resetting the body’s internal temperature for postmenopausal women.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Astronomers made the rare and extraordinary discovery of an interstellar object in our own solar system on July 1, 2025, sparking a scramble to study the mysterious visitor.—
Andrew Jones,
Space.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Prolonged elevated yields are raising questions on whether higher JGB yields will impact domestic appetite to invest abroad, while also sparking a repatriation of capital.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Good Fortune follows Reeves as an angel, Gabriel, tasked by his boss, Martha (Sandra Oh), with stopping humans from dying while texting and driving.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
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Avoid using phones or other distracting behaviors while driving in a work zone.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Freezing your credit, turning on alerts and keeping an eye on medical and financial accounts give you back some control.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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Simple no-cost steps include turning on Night Shift, while buying blue light glasses is a relatively inexpensive alternative to investing in a costly new eye-friendly display that NaturaSynth may one day make obsolete.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Woolen was running stride-for-stride with Pearsall but misplayed the ball and slowed down while the second-year wideout kept moving forward.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cavitation, on the other hand, provides a high-energy, controllable launch system that doesn’t require onboard power or moving parts.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Setting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/setting%20off. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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