as in triggering
to cause to function
set off a bomb
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Recent Examples of setting off
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—
Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan A fleeting moment of passion in post–VE Day Ohio binds Cal Jenkins and Margaret Salt, setting off a chain of secrets that spans generations.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Damaging winds reaching up to 70 mph roared through southern and central Indiana early Thursday evening, setting off tornado sirens and causing destruction to homes, trees and power lines in Bloomington.
—Carol Kugler, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
In overtime, which is played 3-on-3 rather than 5-on-5, Keller took a long pass from Taylor Heise, deked past a Canadian defender and lifted a shot over the pads and under the blocker of goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens for the game-winner, setting off a wild celebration.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The intrigue detonates immediately with a commercial flight taken down by a missile strike, setting off a widening conspiracy.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 19 Feb. 2026
Some need more power than a small city, more than any utility has ever supplied to a single user, setting off a race to build more power plants.
—Marc Levy, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
Federal agents shot to death two civilians on the streets of Minneapolis, setting off protests nationwide as well as sending tens of thousands to the streets in that city.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
In 2018, the company had a viral moment when Catherine’s sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, wore their jeans at a public event, setting off a frenzy that spiked demand and overwhelmed the tiny operation of around 20 employees at the time.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan A fleeting moment of passion in post–VE Day Ohio binds Cal Jenkins and Margaret Salt, setting off a chain of secrets that spans generations.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Damaging winds reaching up to 70 mph roared through southern and central Indiana early Thursday evening, setting off tornado sirens and causing destruction to homes, trees and power lines in Bloomington.
—Carol Kugler, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
In overtime, which is played 3-on-3 rather than 5-on-5, Keller took a long pass from Taylor Heise, deked past a Canadian defender and lifted a shot over the pads and under the blocker of goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens for the game-winner, setting off a wild celebration.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The intrigue detonates immediately with a commercial flight taken down by a missile strike, setting off a widening conspiracy.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 19 Feb. 2026
Some need more power than a small city, more than any utility has ever supplied to a single user, setting off a race to build more power plants.
—Marc Levy, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
Federal agents shot to death two civilians on the streets of Minneapolis, setting off protests nationwide as well as sending tens of thousands to the streets in that city.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
In 2018, the company had a viral moment when Catherine’s sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, wore their jeans at a public event, setting off a frenzy that spiked demand and overwhelmed the tiny operation of around 20 employees at the time.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting off
Verb
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The gruesome discovery would eventually lead authorities to a third woman, in her 80s, killed a few towns over, triggering a manhunt across several states and prompting a two-day closure of schools in Wayne County.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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Skiing safely through avalanche terrain and planning ahead to avoid triggering a slide is part of this courtesy, according to the advocacy group.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Check each of several sprinkler system zones individually, allowing the system to slowly fill with water before activating the zones.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
27 Feb. 2026
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Add a bubbling undercurrent of fresh talent, an influx of new labels activating across the week, and the halo effect of the Winter Olympics, which concluded on February 22, and there’s a lot to consider at MFW FW26, running from February 24 to March 1.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And part of that is when Tru came in the game, both offensively and defensively — his way of sparking us and just having active hands and playing in the passing lanes.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
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Many rigorous studies show that these ads can benefit patients’ health by encouraging them to seek lifesaving treatment for conditions such as depression and heart disease and sparking conversations with their doctors.—
Anna Chorniy,
The Conversation,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Take extra caution when on the road or avoid driving if possible.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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Police said it is now believed Daniels was driving the vehicle as Minor opened fire.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His comments caused a stir Wednesday from pro-Israel advocates who felt Newsom was turning on their interests.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Last month, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s editor wrote that a recent job applicant withdrew from consideration for a reporting fellowship after discovering the position included filing notes to an AI writing tool instead of actually writing stories, touching off a heated debate in media circles.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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Shortly after Goularte got into their pickup truck in Morgan Hill, authorities say, Velasquez shot at him, touching off an 11-mile high-speed car chase through the city that ended near Monterey Road and Bailey Avenue on the southern reaches of San Jose.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Manchester City’s and Liverpool’s success over the past decade has been based on the acquisition of players moving towards or into their peak years and Arsenal have had a similar approach.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Anthropic had loosened its core safety policy to better adapt to a fast-moving market in which competitors may not abide by the same safety standards.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Setting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/setting%20off. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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