Definition of set off - Reverso English Dictionary
Phrasal verb
1.
travelintr. leave on a journey or tripintr.
- We set off early in the morning.
2.
explodetr. cause an explosion to occurtr.
- They set off fireworks for the celebration.
3.
initiatetr. cause something to begin or happentr.
- The announcement set off a wave of excitement.
4.
emotiontr. provoke someone to react stronglytr.
- His comments set her off on a rant.
5.
accentuatetr. highlight or emphasizetr.
- Her bright scarf set off her outfit perfectly.
6.
moneytr. compensate for somethingtr.
- The gains set off the previous losses.
Expressions with set off
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
ignite fireworks to create a display
We set off fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
begin a journey or trip
They set off on their adventure early in the morning.
use one thing to balance or reduce another
The costs were set off against the profits.
trigger a warning signal
The error in the system set off alarm bells immediately.
cause a situation to become explosive or violent
His comments set off a powder keg at the meeting.
Terms with set off included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
depart
leave a place or set off
departure
set off or left for another place
set off
leave a place
appliance control
device that turns appliances on or off at set times
linguistics
clause set off by commas for extra detail
technology
device that turns equipment on or off at a set filling height
safety tactical
deliberate blast set off safely, often for tactical reasons
explosives
flexible cord with explosive inside used to set off charges
demolition
amount of explosive set off at once
fireworks show
event where fireworks are set off for entertainment
technology
shaft in machinery with rotating part set off the center line
explosives
quantity of explosive set off at once
abr: detonating cord
cord that explodes to set off other explosives
demolition
flexible cord with explosives inside used to set off other charges
sailing
large sail set on sailboats for off-wind sailing
Examples of set off in a sentence
The explorers set off into the unknown. The demolition team set off the charges at noon. He accidentally set off the alarm with his keys. The fire alarm set off a quick evacuation. His comments set off a heated debate. The news set him off into a panic.
Her laughter set him off, making him furious. The lighting set off the painting beautifully. Her new haircut set off her facial features. The refund will set off part of the repair bill. Tax credits can set off business expenses.
View all translations of set off
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:partir, faire exploser, ...
- German:aufbrechen, zünden, ...
- Italian:partire, far esplodere, ...
- Spanish:partir, detonar, ...
- Portuguese:partir, detonar, ...
- Chinese:出发, 引爆, ...
- Japanese:出発する, 打ち上げる, ...
- Arabic:انطلقَ, فجر, ...
- Hebrew:לָצֵאת לַדֶּרֶךְ, לְהַפְעִיל, ...
- Russian:отправляться, взрывать, ...
- Ukrainian:вирушити, запустити, ...
- Hindi:निकल पड़ना, विस्फोट करना, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the