touch off

verb

touched off; touching off; touches off

transitive verb

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

Synonyms of touch off

• trigger
• activate
• spark
• drive
• set off
• power
• move

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

But a buying frenzy touched off by the pandemic in 2020 depleted the inventory of homes for sale across the Hartford region and throughout much of Connecticut. —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

When nose-diving inflation at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic touched off concerns of a dangerous downward spiral in wages and prices, it was actually considered a good sign when prices across a variety of gauges began rising by more than 2% annually in March 2021. —Howard Schneider, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026

The boat, left there on shore, had touched off a prompt alarm. —Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1694, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for touch off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

touch off

verb

: to start by or as if by touching with fire

the announcement touched off riots