SETTING OFF Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

setting off

verb

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 Iran’s decision to send the flight to Sanaa in July, setting off the current Houthi escalation, suggests the many ways that Tehran can stoke the Yemen conflict for its own ends. — April Longley Alley, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2026 Five seasons ago, Donald made the game-clinching play in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, setting off a wild celebration in their home stadium. — Michael Silver, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 He was accused not of pulling the trigger, but of setting off the September 7, 1996 murder following the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon heavyweight championship at the MGM Grand. — John L. Smith, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026 Experts said it was most likely caused by a partial glacier collapse that sent tons of ice and rock crashing down into the valley below, setting off a powerful landslide. — Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026 By fields of cotton and soybeans where his bees forage and pollinate, Foster Hensel pries open the lid of one of his beehives, setting off a rising hum from inside. — Drew Hawkins, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 This year, Europe has been sweltering under an exceptionally hot and arid summer, with tinderbox conditions setting off unprecedented fires that have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate homes and vacation spots. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 The peaceful exile is shattered when Ravana’s sister, Surpanakha (played by Rakul Preet Singh), becomes infatuated with Rama, setting off a chain of events that leads to her humiliation. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026 Think of it like setting off a firework inside of a long, narrow hallway (which, by the way, is a really bad idea). — Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 16 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting off

Verb

Adidas recently was informed of UM’s agreement with Nike, triggering a short right-to-match period.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
So are the mechanisms for triggering a video review, and so are the reviewable plays.

— Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of triggering

Verb

This worker should own every stage, including attracting attention, nurturing intent, converting demand, activating customers, maximizing revenue and turning customers into distribution.

— Jake Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Researchers therefore began exploring partial reprogramming, briefly activating the Yamanaka factors in ways that appear to rejuvenate cells while maintaining their specialized identities.

— Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of activating

Verb

These are proactive, temporary electricity shutoffs to prevent high-voltage power lines and equipment from sparking wildfires during red flag weather conditions.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
In July, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI announced that its AI agents hacked into the company Hugging Face, sparking concern among cybersecurity experts as well as consumers.

— Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of sparking

Verb

Assigning officers to walk in community beat patrols instead of driving around in cars.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Health workers are receiving the Ervebo shot, a vaccine effective against a different Ebola strain than the Bundibugyo virus, which is driving this outbreak and has no licensed vaccine or treatment.

— Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of driving

Verb

One possible hypothesis comes in the prologue, set on June 9, 1956, turning on Police Commissioner Folcada, which suggests the terrible impunity of power.

— Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
But there’s nothing better than a little kid opening his gift and then turning on the TV watching the NBA games.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of turning on

Verb

The university prepared to wash its hands of this important part of its legacy, touching off a furious backlash.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
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