set off home

USAGE SUMMARY

"set off" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used when you are talking about beginning a journey in a specific direction, such as "setting off home" or "setting off for work". For example: "After a long day at the office, I set off home."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

By yesterday an estimated 30% of those who travelled to the region for the event had set off home.

The Guardian

In the afternoon we canoed down the river, taking turns to crash through the rapids, then set off home as the sky began to glower.

The Guardian - Travel

Self-seeding calendula already an inch high I gather some beans, rocket, beet tops and nasturtium flowers for our lunch, and set off home for breakfast.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

They set off home in the early afternoon, leaving plenty of time to get back before dark on a normal day.

The Guardian

Afforded a hero's reception on his return to Tyneside, Keegan will have set off home wondering just how Manchester City had taken away nothing but hard-luck stories.

The Guardian - Sport

There was no glass of Sauternes at the end of this lunch, but once again I was suffused with a golden glow as we set off home.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

But the first indications that the church does not adhere strictly to Catholicism is that every so often religious officials, dressed in black capes, rush out of the front door and set off home-made rockets and fire-crackers, which create much more of a stir than church bells.This, however, is nothing compared with the scene inside.

The Economist

As suicide attempts go, it barely makes a splash; passersby haul him out, and, without pausing to thank them, he damply sets off home.

The New Yorker

Masha pours the soup out around the foot of a pear tree in the garden and sets off home, filled with a strange power, "as if her grandmother's death has given her some sort of gift".

The Guardian - Books

Avoid using odd lengths of transmission line, and try to do the wave lengths version to prevent parasitic transmissions, and falling on your neighbors antenna, or bleeding off into someones cell phone, or perhaps even setting off home alarm systems that are close in your neighborhood.

WikiHow

We set off from our Brooklyn home in a subway car.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "set off home" when you want to emphasize the initiation of a journey back to one's house, often after an event or activity.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect prepositions with "set off". "Set off to home" or "set off at home" are grammatically incorrect. Use "set off home" or "set off for home" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "set off home" functions as a phrasal verb indicating the commencement of a journey towards one's residence. It expresses the action of beginning to travel back to where one lives. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is appropriate.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Lifestyle

20%

Sport

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "set off home" is a phrasal verb that correctly describes the act of beginning a journey back to one's residence. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and general usability. While not extremely common, it appears frequently in news and lifestyle content, suggesting a neutral to slightly informal register. Remember to avoid using incorrect prepositions like "to" with "set off". Alternatives include "leave for home" or "start heading home", depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

go back home

Simple and common; emphasizes the act of returning.

leave for home

More straightforward; emphasizes the action of departing for one's house.

start back

Simple and direct; focuses on the commencement of the return.

start heading home

Emphasizes the beginning of the return journey.

make one's way home

Slightly more descriptive; suggests a determined effort to return.

begin the journey back

More formal; highlights the return as a significant trip.

commence the trip home

Highly formal; suitable for written or literary contexts.

head back

Informal and concise; commonly used in casual conversation.

depart for one's residence

Formal; emphasizes the leaving and the destination.

return homeward

Archaic and poetic; emphasizes the direction of travel.

FAQs

What does "set off home" mean?

The phrase "set off home" means to begin a journey with the destination being one's house or place of residence. It implies starting the trip back to your home.

How can I use "set off home" in a sentence?

You can use "set off home" to describe the act of starting your trip back. For example: "After the concert, we "left for home"".

Is it correct to say "set off to home" instead of "set off home"?

No, "set off to home" is not grammatically correct. The correct usage is "set off home" or "set off for home". The preposition "for" is optional but "to" is not appropriate in this context.

What's a more formal alternative to "set off home"?

A more formal alternative to "set off home" could be "commence the trip home" or "begin the journey back".