trigger-happy
adjective
trig·ger-hap·py
ˈtri-gər-ˌha-pē 
1
: irresponsible in the use of firearms
especially
: inclined to shoot before clearly identifying the target
2
a
: inclined to be irresponsible in matters that might precipitate war
b
: aggressively belligerent in attitude
Examples of trigger-happy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But one member of the team, a trigger-happy meathead, reacts out of fear and mistrust, slamming the door shut on the water column.
—
Jenny Odell, Longreads, 2 June 2026
Executive Director Nadav Weiman, a veteran who served in Gaza but not in this war, said distance from the target and some trigger-happy soldiers can be problematic.
—Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Muasher, the former Jordanian foreign minister, argued that the strategic difficulty of defeating and replacing the Iranian regime may prove too confounding for a trigger-happy White House that seems more invested in the spectacle of victory than in the complex project of building peace.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Torched by the Warriors from 3-point range last Sunday, Denver limited the trigger-happy Celtics to a 12-for-43 clip downtown.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
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Jenny Odell, Longreads, 2 June 2026
Executive Director Nadav Weiman, a veteran who served in Gaza but not in this war, said distance from the target and some trigger-happy soldiers can be problematic.
—Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Muasher, the former Jordanian foreign minister, argued that the strategic difficulty of defeating and replacing the Iranian regime may prove too confounding for a trigger-happy White House that seems more invested in the spectacle of victory than in the complex project of building peace.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Torched by the Warriors from 3-point range last Sunday, Denver limited the trigger-happy Celtics to a 12-for-43 clip downtown.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trigger-happy
Cite this Entry
“Trigger-happy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trigger-happy. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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