as in triggers
to cause to function
set off a bomb
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Recent Examples of sets off
In the Disney+ series of the same name, rebellious princess Kit (Bottoms’ Ruby Cruz) sets off on a dangerous quest to rescue her twin brother from dastardly forces of evil.
—
Abby Monteil, Them., 15 Oct. 2025
Instead, Swift sets off in search of a knockout.
—Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
The Carbon offers Apple Find My tracker integration and has its own Turbo System Lock that kills the motor and (optionally) sets off lights and siren alarms when the bike is moved while disabled.
—Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2025
In Roland Emmerich’s enviro-disasterpiece, climate change sets off a series of events that send massive superstorms across the Earth, hurtling us into a new Ice Age.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Eager to convince the family of her and March’s love, Nat sets off to become a useful ghost and offers to cleanse the factory.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
How language encodes value judgments Such logic sets off alarm bells for anyone familiar with the history of eugenics, a movement that began with the idea of improving America by making its people healthier and quickly evolved to make judgments about who is and is not fit to participate in society.
—Megan Donelson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Abby Monteil, Them., 15 Oct. 2025
Instead, Swift sets off in search of a knockout.
—Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
The Carbon offers Apple Find My tracker integration and has its own Turbo System Lock that kills the motor and (optionally) sets off lights and siren alarms when the bike is moved while disabled.
—Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2025
In Roland Emmerich’s enviro-disasterpiece, climate change sets off a series of events that send massive superstorms across the Earth, hurtling us into a new Ice Age.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Eager to convince the family of her and March’s love, Nat sets off to become a useful ghost and offers to cleanse the factory.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
How language encodes value judgments Such logic sets off alarm bells for anyone familiar with the history of eugenics, a movement that began with the idea of improving America by making its people healthier and quickly evolved to make judgments about who is and is not fit to participate in society.
—Megan Donelson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sets off
Verb
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What triggers a government shutdown?—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Coffee can briefly raise blood sugar since caffeine triggers stress hormones that release glucose into the bloodstream.—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The fat overload in astrocytes and microglia activates inflammatory pathways.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
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In Ibadan, the biennial activates the New Culture Studio designed by Demas Nwoko (1970), exploring urban and architectural dimensions of confinement.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Content creators now use it for just about anything and its appearance often sparks raucous reactions, like in September when a crowd erupted in cheers after an In-N-Out employee called out order number 67.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
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That small question sparks an incredible journey filled with mystery, time travel, battles, and ancient beings known as Watchers.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After Fuller drives home to her palatial estate, two strangers in masks emerge from the bushes.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
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Mentorship drives both confidence and capability, even becoming a powerful tool to foster accessibility and belonging.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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How Wisconsin's solar battery park powers 130,000 homes The Paris Solar farm began producing power in December 2024 and generates 200 megawatts of renewable electricity during the day.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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This process, which powers the sun and stars, offers the potential for a virtually limitless power source.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Fans will just have to be patient to see if anything moves forward.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
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If his execution moves forward, Jennings will be the 16th inmate executed in Florida this year, double the state's previous record.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sets off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sets%20off. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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