as in triggers
to cause to function
set off a bomb
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Recent Examples of sets off
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
The character Kracht sets off on a sentimental road trip with his demented, aging mother, who is also addicted to both drugs and alcohol.
—The Know, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
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
The character Kracht sets off on a sentimental road trip with his demented, aging mother, who is also addicted to both drugs and alcohol.
—The Know, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sets off
Verb
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The potential solution presented by UCSD School of Medicine researchers is an anti-αvβ3 antibody that triggers macrophages, a type of immune cell already found in large quantities in advanced tumors.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Oct. 2025
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The strict time constraints and what triggers the clock are also more restrictive in Colorado than in other states, noted Perczak.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The position also activates your core and upper body, improving the function of your thoracic spine (the middle section connecting to your ribs).—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
14 Oct. 2025
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The 2025 October West Coast Storm disaster declaration activates state public and individual assistance programs, providing grants for infrastructure restoration, emergency medical and transportation costs, and temporary housing assistance.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The protagonist’s diabolical plot is fuelled by an unmanageable tangle of emotions, including raging jealousy, mercenary self-interest, and resentment of Eileen’s professional and intellectual accomplishments, which sparks shame at her own cosseted frivolity.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
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Brain breakthrough sparks hope The device, named SPIRAL (Strategic Precision Infusion for Regional Administration of Liquid), is a thin, flexible tube capable of delivering medication to multiple regions of the brain with high precision.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Each of the characters are extremely different, yet Ansari successfully drives home the point that empathy is what connects us all.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
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The modern world drives you back underground in a weird way.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
16 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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As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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This design is lighter than traditional night vision systems and places the weight in a way that moves with the soldier.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sets off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sets%20off. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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