touch off
verb
touched off; touching off; touches off
1
a
: to provoke or initiate with sudden intensity
the verdict touched off local riots
b
: to cause to explode by or as if by touching with fire
2
: to describe or characterize with precision
Examples of touch off in a Sentence
his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts
Recent Examples on the Web
The prospect of a cooling economy alongside high inflation, touched off by an oil shock, has many analysts comparing the current period to the 1970s.
—
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
In a bubble, too many properties on the market chasing too few buyers can touch off drastic price reductions, sending the overall market tumbling.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
Graves’ shot touched off a celebration on the Santa Clara bench.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
The boat, left there on shore, had touched off a prompt alarm.
—Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
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Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
In a bubble, too many properties on the market chasing too few buyers can touch off drastic price reductions, sending the overall market tumbling.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
Graves’ shot touched off a celebration on the Santa Clara bench.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
The boat, left there on shore, had touched off a prompt alarm.
—Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touch%20off. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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