as in triggering
to cause to function
set off a bomb
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Recent Examples of setting off
Former Canadiens captain Yvan Cournoyer entered the Bell Centre from that plaza holding a torch, walked it into the building and the arena bowl, setting off the Canadiens’ traditional playoff ritual of the ice catching fire, and the building roared.
—
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
But a radioactive cloud was wafting across Europe, setting off alarms in a Swedish laboratory nearly seven hundred miles away and slowly sickening tens of thousands of people.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Then, turn that setting off and save your changes.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The Labcorp pilot agreed, but the plane then moved a bit past the hold short bars, setting off alarm systems in the air traffic control tower.
—Sarah Ploss, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Hacegaba noted that the rerouting of ships to avoid the conflict zone is setting off a chain reaction resulting in longer routes, further amplifying the cost increases.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Apr. 2026
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, setting off a yearslong war that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and roiled the global economy.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026
If the Iran war drags on for months, the outlook could quickly darken, setting off a downward economic spiral as falling stocks give way to weaker spending and, ultimately, a recession.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
But a radioactive cloud was wafting across Europe, setting off alarms in a Swedish laboratory nearly seven hundred miles away and slowly sickening tens of thousands of people.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Then, turn that setting off and save your changes.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The Labcorp pilot agreed, but the plane then moved a bit past the hold short bars, setting off alarm systems in the air traffic control tower.
—Sarah Ploss, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Hacegaba noted that the rerouting of ships to avoid the conflict zone is setting off a chain reaction resulting in longer routes, further amplifying the cost increases.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Apr. 2026
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, setting off a yearslong war that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and roiled the global economy.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026
If the Iran war drags on for months, the outlook could quickly darken, setting off a downward economic spiral as falling stocks give way to weaker spending and, ultimately, a recession.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting off
Verb
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Innlandet County includes a rural area where two private citizens located a smaller collection of 19 silver coins on April 10, triggering the wider archaeological probe that uncovered thousands more.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Having to rely on someone else’s resources can feel triggering when the moon opposes Chiron.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Its trillion-parameter system uses a Mixture-of-Experts approach, activating only a fraction of parameters per task.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
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This suggests that activating a stress response siphons energy away from long-term maintenance processes.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Najib headed security forces in Daraa province in 2011, when teenagers were arrested and tortured for antigovernment graffiti, sparking mass protests that escalated into Syria’s devastating civil war.—
Ghaith Alsayed,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The video circulated rapidly on social media, sparking fury as at least two White victims were pummeled into the ground by a group of Black suspects.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For Ioane, that comes in the form of driving a defensive lineman into the ground to clear a path for his quarterback or running back.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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But the judge said that Hallford made credible claims of being a victim of domestic violence and that her ex-husband, Jon Hallford, was the driving force in their relationship.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kirkwood Southern Style Crispy Fried Chicken Perhaps you, like me, avoid turning on the oven at all costs as soon as the temperature outside hits 85 degrees.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
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Other New Jersey farmers might be burning smudge pots in their orchards, turning on windmills, or running sprinklers.—
Vanessa Murdock,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Then suddenly, one set charged the other, touching off yearslong bloodshed that researchers are comparing to a human civil war.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Step back, limit input, and process what’s coming up before moving forward with clearer boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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April 19 guest commentary The recent commentary on the Colorado Connector rail service was supportive of moving ahead.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Setting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/setting%20off. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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