TOUCH OFF Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

touch off

verb

Definition of touch off

as in to trigger

to cause to function his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts

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Recent Examples of touch off Trump then went on to describe element of the ad, which has touched off a furor. — Marisela Cruz Jillian Anthony Marisela Cruz, New York Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Trump’s tariffs on Canada, for example, have touched off a trade war with one of the United States’ closest allies. — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026 That touched off several years of legal confusion, including lower court rulings that disagreed with each other. — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 The controversy was touched off by a New York Post report that Gordillo lives in a spacious Bedford-Stuyvesant dwelling bought by his parents that is now undergoing renovations. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for touch off

Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off

Verb

The intense heat triggers a rapid reaction in which carbon bonds with silica to form silicon carbide, a ultra-hard, heat-tolerant compound.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Four days later, she was reported missing, triggering an intense search by locals, the police department and the FBI.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of trigger

Verb

The button can also be set to mute calls or use alternate recording modes like slow motion and hyperlapse, which otherwise need to be activated with voice commands.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 3 Nov. 2026
That means having specific shades and specific products according to consumer needs across regions, as well as how the Sephora Collection brands are activated.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of activate

Verb

The spot sparked national bipartisan backlash on grounds that Acton's mother had lost custody of her children decades ago after her husband, their stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton as a child.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
Grant sparked a 16-1 in the first quarter that broke the game open after the Golden Eagles cut TCU’s lead to 9-8.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of spark

Verb

The verdict came just three days after regulators seized Ueno Bank, cutting nearly 3 million customers off from their savings and bank cards and setting off a political crisis.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
For Republicans, the defeat set off something close to an existential crisis, and debate over how to regroup.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of set off

Verb

This provides the free electrons to power the EV’s motors and systems during operation.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Limp said the company will continue to manufacture the existing BE-4 engine for United Launch Alliance, which uses two of the engines to power its Vulcan rocket.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of power

Verb

Their shared ambition is straightforward, which is to move fusion from experimental physics rigs into commercially viable power plants.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026
Kerhonkson was also within easy reach of her sister, who had moved with her family from the East Village to Millbrook, in Dutchess County, in 2024.

— Heather Senison, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2026