as in to trigger
to cause to function
his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts
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Recent Examples of touch off
Trump’s move is likely to touch off an extensive legal battle that will probably go to the Supreme Court and could disrupt financial markets.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Trump’s move is likely to touch off an extensive legal battle that will probably go to the Supreme Court and could disrupt financial markets, potentially pushing interest rates higher.
—Chris Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
That led to the Fed chief signaling rate cuts ahead, which touched off a powerful Friday market rally .
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025
Thompson was gunned down at about 6:44 a.m. on Dec. 4 on Sixth Avenue, near the New York Hilton Midtown, touching off a massive manhunt throughout the Northeast.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Trump’s move is likely to touch off an extensive legal battle that will probably go to the Supreme Court and could disrupt financial markets, potentially pushing interest rates higher.
—Chris Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
That led to the Fed chief signaling rate cuts ahead, which touched off a powerful Friday market rally .
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025
Thompson was gunned down at about 6:44 a.m. on Dec. 4 on Sixth Avenue, near the New York Hilton Midtown, touching off a massive manhunt throughout the Northeast.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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In the last fortnight alone, Starmer's Deputy Prime Minister and close ally Angela Rayner has resigned after a house tax scandal, triggering a major cabinet reshuffle.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
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However, there have been some social media posts and videos celebrating his killing, while others have criticized Kirk and his beliefs, which has in turn triggered a backlash.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As Lyles started to activate his signature top-end speed, his Jamaican competitors continued to pull away ahead of him.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The Angels already had a catcher on the concussion list, but Logan O’Hoppe has been progressing well and he’s expected to be activated when the Angels begin a series in Milwaukee on Tuesday.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The space complements the retailer’s unique assortment of apparel and accessories, which for the anniversary will be further enriched by a selection of Gigli’s archival pieces, in a nod to Zambeletti’s roots and homage to the designer that sparked her fashion journey.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
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When Weimers went on to give up his remaining speaking time for a moment of silence, Vice President Katarina Barley cut him off, sparking desk-banging protests from right-wing lawmakers in the chamber.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, a strange new trend has started, seeing users stitch together clips of Jeremiah from various episodes into horror film-like videos, driving home the message that this is not just another cute, curly-haired college student but a malevolent Disney villain.—
Olivia Petter,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
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Discover the fascinating economics driving billion-dollar industries.—
thehustle.co,
thehustle.co,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The last is dumping iron dust into the Southern Ocean to provoke phytoplankton blooms that would suck heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a move that set off a backlash when an American entrepreneur tried it off Canada in 2012.—
Alec Luhn,
Scientific American,
11 Sep. 2025
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The Flotilla set off from Barcelona last week and arrived at the Sidi Bou Said port on Sunday.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ford dropped it from the Explorer’s retail lineup, but continues to offer it in police vehicles, which benefit from its ability to power AC and other accessories without running the engine when parked, as patrol vehicles often spend lots of time doing.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Its chips can power in-car entertainment systems, for example, and on Monday, the company announced a partnership with Google Cloud that allows automakers to create their own digital assistants.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Plants can’t move like people do, so they are exposed to the sun all day long, Fuller said.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Both offenses are moving with little resistance thus far.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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