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
Shortly after Goularte got into their pickup truck in Morgan Hill, authorities say, Velasquez shot at him, touching off an 11-mile high-speed car chase through the city that ended near Monterey Road and Bailey Avenue on the southern reaches of San Jose.
—
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
The corruption allegations touched off widespread outrage, sparking protests in recent months.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
The cigar then touched off cotton goods stored in the warehouse.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, history shows that major Bitcoin crashes have typically been touched off by multiple factors, not a single event.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
The corruption allegations touched off widespread outrage, sparking protests in recent months.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
The cigar then touched off cotton goods stored in the warehouse.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, history shows that major Bitcoin crashes have typically been touched off by multiple factors, not a single event.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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An anonymous tip in August 2025 triggered a swift investigation, leading to Mays’ arrest and a sting operation the next month.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Sure, the Oscar-winning makeup helps transform the actor into Cheney, but the voice and petulance are all Bale, whose conjuring of this scoundrel ought to trigger PTSD for anyone who survived the Dubya years.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
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The crash caused severe front-end damage to the sedan and activated its airbags, video from news-gathering agency OnScene shows.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The conflict was sparked by Hezbollah targeting Israel after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, breaking a 2024 ceasefire that in any case had largely failed.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
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The increase would make LAX rides among the world’s most expensive, sparking opposition from Uber, Lyft, travelers, and state lawmakers.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yet, Whitman-Hanson had one final gasp, as Pierre drove to the basket.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
10 Mar. 2026
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The neighborhood/area The immediate neighborhood around the resort doesn’t offer much beyond lush greenery, but drive about 15 minutes west to find the famous Alona Beach, a particularly scenic strip of sand bookended by dramatic rock walls.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
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Hezbollah fired missiles deep into Israel, setting off air raid sirens in central Israel and its commercial hub Tel Aviv, as interception blasts sounded as far as Jerusalem.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Eco effort Over 1,000 solar panels power the resort’s operations during the day, while an on-site treatment plant recycles up to 80% of the wastewater used for landscaping.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
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The potential energy generation facing delays is the equivalent of 59 traditional nuclear reactors, enough to power more than 44 million homes simultaneously.—
Mark Chediak,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Andrea Riquier Gas prices rose across the country, and the price of oil was moving higher on Thursday.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
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The Lakers moved up to third place in the Western Conference at 41-25 on the season following their seventh win in eight games.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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