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

The gunfire touched off a mass panic as shoppers fled for the exits while mall security and San Jose police cleared the scene. —Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

Before heading out into the backcountry, pick up a Garmin inReach Messenger, 33 percent off, to stay in touch off the grid. —Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025

The shootings followed a September Free Press investigation that found at least 20% of department shootings in the past decade were touched off by nonviolent stops. —Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 29 Nov. 2025

Carlson had an amiable sit-down on his podcast last month with Fuentes that touched off a controversy among conservatives. —Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025

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