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
As Wallace and Gromit investigate this mysterious thief, their paths cross with the cruel, trigger-happy Lord Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes), who has his own ambitions for the competition and Wallace’s love interest, Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter).
—
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
As the table below shows, the number of cautions for dissent rose sharply — but referees were most trigger-happy in a season’s early stages.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Any Omega discovered within a colony’s borders is arrested to be exiled beyond the wall, or terminated on sight in cases where a trigger-happy government worker thinks their life is threatened by an Omega simply shouting.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2025
Critics often portray Truman's decision as an act of monstrous brutality—a flex of raw military might by a sadistic and trigger-happy superpower.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trigger-happy
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Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
As the table below shows, the number of cautions for dissent rose sharply — but referees were most trigger-happy in a season’s early stages.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Any Omega discovered within a colony’s borders is arrested to be exiled beyond the wall, or terminated on sight in cases where a trigger-happy government worker thinks their life is threatened by an Omega simply shouting.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2025
Critics often portray Truman's decision as an act of monstrous brutality—a flex of raw military might by a sadistic and trigger-happy superpower.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
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 11 Sep. 2025.
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