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
Investigators said the gunfire stemmed from a dispute that touched off after two groups of young men left the basketball game between North Kansas City and Staley high schools.
—
Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
The killing of Massey, a mother of two who had long struggled with mental illness, touched off a wave of demonstrations and nationwide calls for police reform.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
That touched off an argument, during which Sweeney flashed a gun in his hip, according to the complaint.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The hit touched off a fight, and ended with Minnesota on a power play, which would produce their first goal of the night.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
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Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
The killing of Massey, a mother of two who had long struggled with mental illness, touched off a wave of demonstrations and nationwide calls for police reform.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
That touched off an argument, during which Sweeney flashed a gun in his hip, according to the complaint.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The hit touched off a fight, and ended with Minnesota on a power play, which would produce their first goal of the night.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
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 Oct. 2025.
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