as in triggering
to cause to function
set off a bomb
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Recent Examples of setting off
Before setting off for the park, check the schedule for the seasonal hiker’s transport shuttle.
—
Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
Former Canadiens captain Yvan Cournoyer entered the Bell Centre from that plaza holding a torch, walked it into the building and the arena bowl, setting off the Canadiens’ traditional playoff ritual of the ice catching fire, and the building roared.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
But a radioactive cloud was wafting across Europe, setting off alarms in a Swedish laboratory nearly seven hundred miles away and slowly sickening tens of thousands of people.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Then, turn that setting off and save your changes.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The Labcorp pilot agreed, but the plane then moved a bit past the hold short bars, setting off alarm systems in the air traffic control tower.
—Sarah Ploss, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Hacegaba noted that the rerouting of ships to avoid the conflict zone is setting off a chain reaction resulting in longer routes, further amplifying the cost increases.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Apr. 2026
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, setting off a yearslong war that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and roiled the global economy.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026
Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
Former Canadiens captain Yvan Cournoyer entered the Bell Centre from that plaza holding a torch, walked it into the building and the arena bowl, setting off the Canadiens’ traditional playoff ritual of the ice catching fire, and the building roared.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
But a radioactive cloud was wafting across Europe, setting off alarms in a Swedish laboratory nearly seven hundred miles away and slowly sickening tens of thousands of people.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Then, turn that setting off and save your changes.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The Labcorp pilot agreed, but the plane then moved a bit past the hold short bars, setting off alarm systems in the air traffic control tower.
—Sarah Ploss, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Hacegaba noted that the rerouting of ships to avoid the conflict zone is setting off a chain reaction resulting in longer routes, further amplifying the cost increases.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Apr. 2026
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, setting off a yearslong war that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and roiled the global economy.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting off
Verb
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Innlandet County includes a rural area where two private citizens located a smaller collection of 19 silver coins on April 10, triggering the wider archaeological probe that uncovered thousands more.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Having to rely on someone else’s resources can feel triggering when the moon opposes Chiron.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Moët & Chandon, which became the official Champagne sponsor of Formula 1 in 2025, is activating ahead of the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, with focuses both on and off the tracks.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
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The same study notes that the hormonal cascade may even dull pain by activating peripheral nerves and autonomic pathways.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ukrainian drones have hit the oil refinery and export terminal in Tuapse on four occasions in just over two weeks, sparking fires that prompted local evacuations and sent up massive plumes of smoke.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
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Ukrainian drones have hit the oil refinery and export terminal in Tuapse on four occasions in just over two weeks, sparking fires that prompted evacuations and sent up massive plumes of smoke.—
Samya Kullab,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Verb
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After organizers failed to seek authorisation for the event, 600 police officers were deployed on Friday, issuing dozens of fines mainly for the possession of narcotics and driving offences.—
Niamh Kennedy,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
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The guard has a knack of driving past the point of attack for her own shot or a drive-and-kick opportunity for her teammates.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Kirkwood Southern Style Crispy Fried Chicken Perhaps you, like me, avoid turning on the oven at all costs as soon as the temperature outside hits 85 degrees.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
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Other New Jersey farmers might be burning smudge pots in their orchards, turning on windmills, or running sprinklers.—
Vanessa Murdock,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With two minutes left in the period, Parayko ran Yurov into the boards from behind, touching off a fight between the Blues’ defenseman and Trenin.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
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Then suddenly, one set charged the other, touching off yearslong bloodshed that researchers are comparing to a human civil war.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He was instructed to respond by moving his eyes from left to right, and sure enough, the researchers counted two rightward movements of his eyes.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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The sophisticated set by ace production designer David Gropman enables Altman’s perpetually moving and zooming camera to drift in and out of two-way mirrors that depict memories and fantasies with both immediacy and a gauzy nostalgia.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Setting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/setting%20off. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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