set off

Meaning

'Set off' means to begin a journey or start traveling toward a destination. It is frequently used in everyday English instead of the more formal verbs 'depart' or 'start'. It is especially common when talking about road trips or early morning departures.

Examples

• We need to set off early tomorrow if we want to beat the morning traffic.

  We need to set off early tomorrow if we want to beat the morning traffic.

• What time are you planning to set off for the airport?

  What time are you planning to set off for the airport?

• They set off on their backpacking trip across Europe last week.

  They set off on their backpacking trip across Europe last week.

• We packed the car the night before so we could set off at dawn.

  We packed the car the night before so we could set off at dawn.

• As soon as the rain stopped, we set off again on our hike.

  As soon as the rain stopped, we set off again on our hike.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We set off our trip at 6 AM.

  ✓ We set off on our trip at 6 AM.

  To start a specific journey, you must say 'set off on [a trip/journey]'. 'Set off' alone does not take a direct object in this sense.

• ✗ They started to set off for the station.

  ✓ They set off for the station.

  'Set off' already means to start a journey, so combining it with 'started to' is redundant.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If we don't ___ soon, we'll miss the start of the concert.

  💡 Start our journey.

  Show answer

  set off

• They decided to ___ on their journey despite the heavy fog.

  💡 Begin traveling.

  Show answer

  set off