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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of touch off
And Queen was forced to take an off-balance shot that required a perfect touch off the glass to redirect into the hoop.
—
Scott Thompson, Fox News, 24 Mar. 2025
The dispute touched off after the groups left the basketball game.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2025
The original bail reform bill Cuomo signed in 2019 touched off New York City’s regression toward the bad old days when people feared to walk the streets or ride the subways.
—Maud Maron, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
The president’s moves to upend federal bureaucracy touch off fear and confusion.
—Chris Haxel Pat McCusker, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Scott Thompson, Fox News, 24 Mar. 2025
The dispute touched off after the groups left the basketball game.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2025
The original bail reform bill Cuomo signed in 2019 touched off New York City’s regression toward the bad old days when people feared to walk the streets or ride the subways.
—Maud Maron, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
The president’s moves to upend federal bureaucracy touch off fear and confusion.
—Chris Haxel Pat McCusker, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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But yeah, maybe she’s been a vegetarian this whole time and the proteins triggered something!—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
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China and the European Union announced new trade barriers on Wednesday in direct response to President Donald Trump's steep tariffs, which, according to Reuters, have triggered a global trade war and bolstered the likelihood of a recession.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Every morning, guests can watch as the Chronos opens the portals by lining them up and activating them.—
Samantha Neely,
USA Today,
6 Apr. 2025
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In this case, we’re well served to recognize that our social capital is enriched by diversifying across those deeper, fewer connections as well as the more numerous casual relationships that often have an outsized positive impact when activated at the right time.—
Tim Maurer,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Val Kilmer’s death on Tuesday has sparked reminders of the risks of pneumonia.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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The viral clip has sparked debate among users on TikTok, with some praising destination weddings, while others were critical.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Authorities allege, per the AP, that White drove up next to Noble and got out of his car with a gun in his hand, prompting Noble to get out of his car and run away.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
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Philanthropy can address market failures and lay the groundwork for scalable solutions, while investments follow to drive growth.—
Matt Damon,
TIME,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Simeone set off sprinting down the line in celebration, but quickly got his emotions back under control, knowing there was a long way still to go in the tie.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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That has set off a frenzy from developers and gambling powerhouses looking to cash in on the highly lucrative opportunity to operate one of the Big Apple’s first-ever casinos.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That may be enough to power a standard laptop, but not enough to play video games with a powerful GPU.—
Benjamin Roulston,
The Conversation,
14 Mar. 2025
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Last month, Vodafone demoed the technology by using the BlueBird satellites to power a video call from a remote region in Wales that lacked traditional cell coverage.—
Michael Kan,
PCMAG,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Our reporters talk to each other and move around candidates from one category to another.—
Alexandra York,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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The bill also included moving $1.1 million from the Constitutional Defense Fund into the Legislative Legal Defense Fund.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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