set off vs commence

set off and commence both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
set off	No	No	Yes	No
commence	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, commence is a hypernym of set off; that is, commence is a word with a broader meaning than set off:

Other hypernyms of set off include begin, lead off, start.

set off (verb)	commence (verb)
cause to burst with a violent release of energy	take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
set in motion or cause to begin	set in motion, cause to start
direct attention to, as if by means of contrast	get off the ground
provoke or stir up
put in motion or move to act
depart for someplace
make up for