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
The invasion touched off demonstrations on campuses across the United States.
—
Kalyan Singhal, Baltimore Sun, 5 May 2025
The stories went viral, touching off tens of thousands of angry comments from users who were equally perplexed and dismayed over the loss of any piece of the city's already meager urban canopy.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025
Hoover brushed aside the arguments of his own economists who warned that other nations would respond with their own tariffs, touching off a trade war in which every country would lose.
—Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica, 8 Apr. 2025
But that small decision, to take a drink of water partway through a 90-minute hot yoga session at Bode NYC, touched off a series of events — and one widely seen TikTok video — that resulted in an instructor losing her job.
—Gina Cherelus, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Kalyan Singhal, Baltimore Sun, 5 May 2025
The stories went viral, touching off tens of thousands of angry comments from users who were equally perplexed and dismayed over the loss of any piece of the city's already meager urban canopy.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025
Hoover brushed aside the arguments of his own economists who warned that other nations would respond with their own tariffs, touching off a trade war in which every country would lose.
—Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica, 8 Apr. 2025
But that small decision, to take a drink of water partway through a 90-minute hot yoga session at Bode NYC, touched off a series of events — and one widely seen TikTok video — that resulted in an instructor losing her job.
—Gina Cherelus, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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That passage marked the start of more frequent financial warnings from Dimon, including worries of a recession — which didn’t happen until the 2020 pandemic triggered a two-month contraction — as well as concerns around market meltdowns and the ballooning U.S. deficit.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
30 May 2025
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The decision triggered a federal investigation, which ultimately resulted in no charges.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Breathing in and sighing out slowly for longer than your in breath with an open mouth can activate the vagus nerve, a crucial component of the parasympathetic nervous system.—
Paul McClure
May 24,
New Atlas,
24 May 2025
-
Both labor-intensive and time-consuming, the tool required food professionals and at-home cooks to literally rotate its handle to activate the accompanying beater(s).—
Joey Skladany,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Her disappearance sparked a weeks-long search that concluded on Thanksgiving Day that year, when a passing motorist spotted Papini alongside the highway — partially bound, injured and with a brand on her shoulder.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
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This film sparked criticism even before being seen due to the fact that the women who appear in it are veiled.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 May 2025
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The franchise has driven over half a billion hours of streams, with the original accounting for more than 280 hours.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
26 May 2025
Verb
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It’s been five years since George Floyd’s murder by a police officer in Minneapolis set off a wave of international protest and the Black Lives Matter movement.—
Cameron Joseph,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 May 2025
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Without inside information, bettors probably suspected that others must know something about the next pope’s identity, setting off a stampede, Sethi concluded.—
Andrew Ross Sorkin,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Verb
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At 43, this might look like a driver nearing the twilight of his career; the undeniable talent behind the wheel that powered him to two world titles, and within a handful of points of another three, finally starting to wane.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
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Meanwhile, Blue Origin inked a deal with United Launch Alliance to supply a version of its New Glenn main engine to power that company's Vulcan rocket.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2025
Verb
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The two new fire stations, plus the new fire department headquarters that is set to hold a relocated Fire Station 4, are being moved at the recommendation of a 2021 plan that looked to lower emergency response times.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
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Word moved around the ticket-holders, likely waiting for Novak Djokovic’s match to follow this one, that one of their own was doing something special.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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