as in to trigger
to cause to function
set off a bomb
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ornament
something that decorates or beautifies
the architect used stone carvings as setoffs for the building's marble facing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 set off
Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 13 Feb. 2025
Explore Coldplay See latest videos, charts and news The 21-year-old singer from San Antonio wasted no time winning over coaches Adam Levine, John Legend, Kelsea Ballerini, and Michael Bublé, setting off a heated battle for his talent.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025
Roni Dengler, Discover Magazine, 21 Feb. 2019
See all Example Sentences for set off 
Verb
From there, the cannibalism turned into all-out hunts, which resulted in Javi's (Luciano Leroux) death, and by the end of season 2, Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) was the new leader, Shauna was pissed, and Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) set off on his own… after maybe burning down the cabin?
—Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 13 Feb. 2025
Explore Coldplay See latest videos, charts and news The 21-year-old singer from San Antonio wasted no time winning over coaches Adam Levine, John Legend, Kelsea Ballerini, and Michael Bublé, setting off a heated battle for his talent.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
That setoff a worldwide hunt for the impact site.
—Roni Dengler, Discover Magazine, 21 Feb. 2019
See all Example Sentences for set off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for set off
Verb
-
Trump's executive actions — many of which have direct links to Project 2025 — have already had far-reaching impacts, triggering a rapid shakeup of the federal bureaucracy.—
Avery Lotz,
Axios,
11 Feb. 2025
-
The flurry of changes triggered by the directive has led to the erasure of articles featuring NASA astronomers from underrepresented communities that the agency published in years past, like this one.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The three armor ornaments are based on different Stormtrooper designs.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
-
This Dior collection was sparser on bags and shoes, those brisk-selling tack-ons that designers can get carried away with, festooning them to models like ornaments on a Christmas tree.—
Jacob Gallagher,
New York Times,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The referral agent is also voice activated and calls patients to connect them with the right specialists.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2025
-
When their neurons were activated by the light, the mice ate much smaller meals.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But no amount of ornamentation could outshine Palmer's incredibly pretty curls.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
31 Jan. 2025
-
Now evidence of trip is found The style of ornamentation, depicting an animal with teeth and large eyes, was typical of the late Germanic Iron Age, the period directly before the rise of the Vikings, around 650 to 750 A.D., Nielsen said.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The package has sparked a bidding war with Warner Bros, Amazon, Apple and Netflix among those understood to be in the mix for the hot project which is garnering WW offers around the $45M mark.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Confusion sparks debate Arizona attorney general leads 14-state coalition suing to block Elon Musk, DOGE Have a news tip or story idea about the border and its communities?—
José Ignacio Castañeda Perez,
The Arizona Republic,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
They would be used eventually, but not for long. 1980s recession leaves downtown in the dark In 1982, with the recession rocking Milwaukee, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce announced that the street decorations were being tossed out and not replaced.—
Chris Foran,
Journal Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2025
-
The performances are haunting, the set decoration pristine, and the tension ever-intensifying.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Traveling by train with your pet makes sense for a lot of people, Peloquin said, like folks who prefer not to drive or fly.—
Claire Thornton,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Omega-6 fatty acids have also been implicated in the processes that drive colon cancer.—
Mary J. Scourboutakos,
The Conversation,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Zoom in: The bureau's website helps users navigate child support enforcement, paying debts and wage garnishment.—
April Rubin,
Axios,
3 Feb. 2025
-
Different garnishments to resume at different times Federal student loan borrowers who’ve defaulted on their loans may see their wages garnished starting in October of this year, according to the Education Department memo.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near set off
Cite this Entry
“Set off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/set%20off. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share