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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of touch off
The university prepared to wash its hands of this important part of its legacy, touching off a furious backlash.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
That touched off a conservative firestorm online, even though Wembanyama is French, meaning his country’s anthem wasn’t being played.
—Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 6 June 2026
The race has touched off negative campaign advertisements between Feenstra and leading opponent and businessman Zach Lahn.
—Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 2 June 2026
In 1971, Nixon replaced Martin with a distinguished economist, Arthur Burns, whose policies touched off the great inflation.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
That touched off a conservative firestorm online, even though Wembanyama is French, meaning his country’s anthem wasn’t being played.
—Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 6 June 2026
The race has touched off negative campaign advertisements between Feenstra and leading opponent and businessman Zach Lahn.
—Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 2 June 2026
In 1971, Nixon replaced Martin with a distinguished economist, Arthur Burns, whose policies touched off the great inflation.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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Still, despite the squad’s positivity, the match triggered a lot of bad memories in the minds of Spain fans everywhere ahead of what many thought could be an excellent chance to earn the nation’s second World Cup.—
Patrick Sung Cuadrado,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
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In February, an exposure at a state high school wrestling championship triggered at least 46 cases among attendees.—
Devi Shastri,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Verb
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At the intersection of North Green Hills Drive, the statement said, the driver activated a turn signal, then canceled it and kept going straight ahead.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
15 June 2026
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In response to the advisory, the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust has activated an emergency outreach plan.—
Miami Herald Staff Report,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2026
Verb
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For the first time since joining international competition, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has qualified for the FIFA World Cup, marking a milestone achievement for the nation's soccer program and sparking celebrations among Jordanians around the world.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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The crash sparked a fire that destroyed the aircraft, which was operating as a skydiving flight, according to the NTSB.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Verb
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In other words, the current combination of US political tensions and global conflicts are driving more US nationals to seek new options overseas.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
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Naturally, Ohtani also singled, doubled, walked and drove in two runs in that game.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The photo of Kyle and Amanda leaving the reunion and laughing went viral, which also set off some conspiracies among the very normal fandom of these shows.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
17 June 2026
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Activewear brand Lululemon is in hot water in China after a promotional event held on the Great Wall appeared to mistakenly feature a Japanese drum – setting off an online furor.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Verb
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The company also does not have to notify the TCEQ if electricity will be used to power a data center.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
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That number is bigger than New York’s Central Park, and the sheer expected electricity generation could power more than half of New Mexico.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The pair moved to the parking lot, where several others became involved.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
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The Eastern Pacific remains a key corridor for narcotics trafficking, with criminal organizations frequently using small vessels to move drugs toward North America.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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