Phrase guide

set off

verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

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Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To leave; to set out; to begin a journey or trip.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

  • He set off in search of better opportunities.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: set forth, take off, beat it, bug off, remove, egress, bugger off, book, bounce, buzz off, chuck, cut one's stick, dash, depart, duck out, exit, get away, get out, go, go away, go out, GTFO, leave, make tracks, move on, namous, part, piss off, pull up stakes, put out, start, start out, set off, set out, run along, sling one's hook, split, take leave, take one's leave, take wing, quit

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To begin; to cause; to initiate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • I had no idea that one simple comment would set off such a huge argument.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bring forth, produce, cause, contrive, create, ferment, forge, develop, engender, evolve, generate, gin up, innate, form, forthbring, make, spawn, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under, send, sting, bring about, cheer, draw, drive, encourage, egg on, evoke, excite, foment, goad, grill, ignite, impel, incite, induce, inflame, instigate, invoke, lash, motive, motivate, move, obligate, oblige, push, promote, prompt, provoke, rouse, set off, spark off, spur, spur on, stimulate, stir, stir up, stoke, tempt, urge, whet, whip up

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cause to explode, let off.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • What a tragedy, that someone would set off a bomb in a crowded place.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blow up, detonate, touch off

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To put into an angry mood; to start (a person) ranting or sulking, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • Don't set him off or he won't shut up all day.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incense, put out, affront, aggravate, anger, antagonize, awrath, burn up, cheese off, cross, embitter, envenom, gall, get, get to, honk off, inflame, infuriate, madden, make angry, nark, offend, outrage, provoke, rankle, rile, piss off, roil, set off, steam, tick off, get one's back up, get someone's dander up, get someone's goat, get someone's Irish up, make someone see red, make someone's blood boil, put someone's back up, raise someone's hackles, raise someone's shag, rattle someone's cage, rub the wrong way, ruffle some feathers, set up someone's birse

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To enhance by emphasizing differences.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • Her plain white dress was set off by a bright red stole.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To offset, to compensate for: to reduce the effect of, by having a contrary effect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • My taxes did not increase because the amount of my raise was set off by my losses in the stock market.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: counter, counteract, negate, offstand

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To deface or soil the next sheet; said of the ink on a freshly printed sheet, when another sheet comes in contact with it before it has had time to dry.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

cause to burst with a violent release of energy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We exploded the nuclear bomb

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: explode, detonate, blow up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change integrity

Narrower terms: fulminate, dynamite

9

verb

Meaning 9

set in motion or cause to begin

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The guide set the tour off to a good start

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: begin, lead off, start, commence

10

verb

Meaning 10

direct attention to, as if by means of contrast

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This dress accentuates your nice figure!
  • I set off these words by brackets

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bring out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stress, emphasize, emphasise, punctuate, accent, accentuate

Narrower terms: pick up, foreground, highlight, spotlight, play up, raise

11

verb

Meaning 11

provoke or stir up

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • incite a riot
  • set off great unrest among the people

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incite, instigate, stir up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: provoke, stimulate

Narrower terms: raise

12

verb

Meaning 12

put in motion or move to act

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • trigger a reaction
  • actuate the circuits

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: trip, actuate, trigger, activate, spark off, spark, trigger off, touch off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: initiate, pioneer

13

verb

Meaning 13

leave

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The family took off for Florida

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: depart, part, start, start out, set forth, set out, take off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: leave, go forth, go away

Narrower terms: take off, lift off, roar off, blaze, blaze out, sally forth, sally out

14

verb

Meaning 14

make up for

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • His skills offset his opponent's superior strength

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cancel, offset

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: balance, equilibrate, equilibrize, equilibrise

Narrower terms: counteract, countervail, neutralize, counterbalance

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 出發 /出发 (chūfā) — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Danish: gå af — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Danish: forløbe — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Dutch: vertrekken — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Finnish: lähteä matkaan — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • German: losmachen — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • German: abgehen — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • German: sich absetzen — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • German: losziehen — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Hungarian: elindul — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Hungarian: útnak indul — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Indonesian: memulai — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Nepali: यात्रा सुरु गर्नु (yātrā suru garnu) — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Norwegian: gå av — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Russian: отправля́ться (otpravljátʹsja) — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Russian: отпра́виться (otprávitʹsja) — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Spanish: partir — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Swedish: avgå — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Welsh: taro allan — To leave; begin a journey or trip
  • Chinese Mandarin: 引發 /引发 (yǐnfā) — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Finnish: saada aikaan — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Finnish: johtaa — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Finnish: aloittaa — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Finnish: panna alulle — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • German: auslösen — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • German: entfesseln — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • German: in Gang bringen / setzen — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Hungarian: kivált — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Hungarian: előidéz — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Italian: causare — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Italian: determinare — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Spanish: hacer sonar — To begin; to cause; to initiate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 引爆 (yǐnbào) — To cause to explode
  • Finnish: räjäyttää — To cause to explode
  • Finnish: ampua — To cause to explode
  • Finnish: laukaista — To cause to explode
  • German: zünden — To cause to explode
  • German: abbrennen — To cause to explode
  • Hungarian: felrobbant — To cause to explode
  • Italian: innescare — To cause to explode
  • Chinese Mandarin: 激怒 (jīnù) — To make angry
  • Finnish: suututtaa — To make angry
  • French: mettre en colère — To make angry
  • German: anzünden — To make angry
  • German: aufbringen (gegen) — To make angry
  • Hungarian: felbosszant — To make angry
  • Hungarian: feldühít — To make angry
  • Indonesian: membuat marah — To make angry
  • Portuguese: irritar — To make angry
  • Chinese Mandarin: 搭配 (dāpèi) — To emphasize differences
  • Chinese Mandarin: 襯托 /衬托 (chèntuō) — To emphasize differences
  • Finnish: korostaa — To emphasize differences
  • German: absetzen — To emphasize differences
  • German: hervorheben — To emphasize differences