SETTING OFF Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

setting off

verb

Definition of setting off next

present participle of set off

as in triggering

to cause to function set off a bomb

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 setting off The ball bounced off the hands of linebacker Eric Kendricks, fell to the turf and spun slowly and harmlessly into the north end zone at Lincoln Financial Field, setting off a raucous celebration on the San Francisco 49ers’ sideline befitting of the Barbary Coast in its post-Gold Rush heyday. —

Michael Silver, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026 Macklin Celebrini recorded his second career NHL hat trick and matched a career-high with five points, which included a key assist on Smith’s overtime winner, setting off a wild celebration for the previously winless Sharks (1-4-2). —

Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025 But instead Lane, then 34, ambushed her — setting off a violent scramble through the residence that left Wilkins unconscious, her fetus cut from her womb. —

Jillian Frankel, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 Even a weak storm could dump a ton of rain on the mountainous island of Hispaniola, potentially setting off life-threatening mudslides and flash flooding. —

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025 The biggest stop of the season came in the final seconds when the Hornets stopped the Bears on downs inside the 2, setting off a sideline celebration. —

Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2025 In a bid to show Arj that money doesn’t buy happiness, Gabriel swaps his life with Jeff’s, setting off a chaotic week of rich-and-poor, Freaky Friday-esque hijinks. —

Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025 Produced by the Basra Cinema Center, of which Alkadumy is executive director, the film centers on Ahmed, a child with a speech impediment who is continually dismissed during Quranic lessons until defiance stirs within him, setting off a silent confrontation with his authoritative teacher. —

Essie Assibu, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025 On Thursday, Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and on a marketplace in eastern Afghanistan, according to Pakistani security officials and the Taliban, setting off retaliatory attacks by the Taliban. —

Reuters, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting off

Verb

The Heat ripped off a 15-0 run after Hauser’s early buckets and built an early 28-9 lead, triggering two Mazzulla timeouts and a series of Celtics substitutions.

— Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Jan. 2026
The process is known to heat the exterior of the returning spacecraft to more than 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,926 degrees Celsius), creating a buildup of plasma and triggering a minutes-long communication blackout.

— Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 15 Jan. 2026