as in triggering
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 touching off
The university prepared to wash its hands of this important part of its legacy, touching off a furious backlash.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
With two minutes left in the period, Parayko ran Yurov into the boards from behind, touching off a fight between the Blues’ defenseman and Trenin.
—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
Then suddenly, one set charged the other, touching off yearslong bloodshed that researchers are comparing to a human civil war.
—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Auriemma’s, UConn’s Hall-of-Fame women’s basketball coach, had an uncharacteristic melt-down during and after his team lost to South Carolina, 62-48, in the semifinals, touching off a shouting match with Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
Last month, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s editor wrote that a recent job applicant withdrew from consideration for a reporting fellowship after discovering the position included filing notes to an AI writing tool instead of actually writing stories, touching off a heated debate in media circles.
—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Shortly after Goularte got into their pickup truck in Morgan Hill, authorities say, Velasquez shot at him, touching off an 11-mile high-speed car chase through the city that ended near Monterey Road and Bailey Avenue on the southern reaches of San Jose.
—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
The Facebook post has been viewed more than 140,000 times, touching off hundreds of comments over driver responsibility and technology.
—
David R. Smith,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
With two minutes left in the period, Parayko ran Yurov into the boards from behind, touching off a fight between the Blues’ defenseman and Trenin.
—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
Then suddenly, one set charged the other, touching off yearslong bloodshed that researchers are comparing to a human civil war.
—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Auriemma’s, UConn’s Hall-of-Fame women’s basketball coach, had an uncharacteristic melt-down during and after his team lost to South Carolina, 62-48, in the semifinals, touching off a shouting match with Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
Last month, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s editor wrote that a recent job applicant withdrew from consideration for a reporting fellowship after discovering the position included filing notes to an AI writing tool instead of actually writing stories, touching off a heated debate in media circles.
—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Shortly after Goularte got into their pickup truck in Morgan Hill, authorities say, Velasquez shot at him, touching off an 11-mile high-speed car chase through the city that ended near Monterey Road and Bailey Avenue on the southern reaches of San Jose.
—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
The Facebook post has been viewed more than 140,000 times, touching off hundreds of comments over driver responsibility and technology.
—
David R. Smith,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touching off
Verb
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Kyiv’s forces have especially targeted supplies to Crimea, triggering the worst fuel crisis on the Black Sea peninsula since it was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014 and delivering a blow to the Kremlin’s narrative that Moscow is winning the war.
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Instead, the ultra-rich often hold onto their assets, allowing unrealized gains on stocks, bonds and other investments to compound in value for years without triggering taxes.
Verb
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In her first year activating, Rowe said, Her Fantasy Box arrived with 20,000 units and left with none.
-
In Bridgeport, officials are activating the cooling center protocol from Wednesday through Friday.
Verb
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LeBron James is reportedly leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons and one championship, sparking widespread speculation about his next move and Bronny James's future.
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The protests became a flash point, sparking similar incidents in several other cities in Tennessee and at least one in Florida.
Verb
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Also boosting demand and driving ticket prices for Saturday’s game is the fact that 41-year-old superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 669 million Instagram followers, is captain of the Portuguese team and has said this World Cup will be his last, making each appearance a high-profile event.
-
Tire pressure sensors are vital to a vehicle’s health, especially when driving on pothole and junk-laden Atlanta streets.
Verb
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Officials say the safest way to celebrate Independence Day is by attending one of the many professional fireworks shows scheduled across the Bay Area rather than setting off fireworks at home.
-
Major League Baseball then issued a warning, setting off a firestorm of controversy, criticism and a referral for an investigation from the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
Verb
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Letting the temperature rise slightly during the day means the system isn't turning on and off rapidly all afternoon.
-
Sokolowski also recommends wearing rubber or nitrile gloves to prevent skin irritation, and opening windows or turning on a kitchen exhaust fan before, during, and for a bit after cleaning.
Verb
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Why China is moving fast with robot hospitality China has already embraced service robots in hotels, restaurants, airports and public spaces.
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Vibrations from earth-moving equipment could have triggered further collapses, possibly dooming Gil — and his would-be rescuers.
Cite this Entry
“Touching off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touching%20off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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