set off
18 synonyms and 5 antonyms for set off, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Phrasal verb — To begin a journey or start out towards somewhere.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. phrasal verb
To begin a journey or start out towards somewhere.
“We set off at dawn to beat the traffic.”
Opposites
2. phrasal verb
To cause something to start suddenly, especially an alarm, an explosion or a chain of events.
“The smoke from the toaster set off the fire alarm.”
3. phrasal verb
To make someone suddenly angry, upset or distressed, or to trigger a strong emotional or physical reaction.
“Any mention of the divorce sets him off.”
Opposites
4. phrasal verb
To make something look better by contrast or by providing a background for it.
“The plain frame sets off the painting perfectly.”
5. noun legal and accounting
An amount owed by one party that is deducted from a debt owed to it by the other, so only the balance is paid.
“The builder claimed a set-off for the unpaid final invoice.”
How to use set off
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral and very common in everyday speech; the accounting noun is technical.
