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
That touched off a political firestorm and ultimately led Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which forced the Justice Department to make public all of the Epstein files in its possession.
—
Ryan Lucas, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
The prospect of a cooling economy alongside high inflation, touched off by an oil shock, has many analysts comparing the current period to the 1970s.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
His death touched off days of vigils and demonstrations both in support of the fallen officer and to decry gun violence in the community.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Graves’ shot touched off a celebration on the Santa Clara bench.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Ryan Lucas, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
The prospect of a cooling economy alongside high inflation, touched off by an oil shock, has many analysts comparing the current period to the 1970s.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
His death touched off days of vigils and demonstrations both in support of the fallen officer and to decry gun violence in the community.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Graves’ shot touched off a celebration on the Santa Clara bench.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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The union said Stepan Shevchuk was the man killed when a failure of a precast concrete segment triggered a progressive collapse.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat buildup and allergens accumulate over months, affecting your sleep quality and potentially triggering sneezing and congestion.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In all, 10 on-duty Portage officers, two off-duty officers and a Porter County sheriff’s deputy rushed to the scene with lights and sirens activated, the department said.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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The department has signed a 10-year, $120 million contact with Axon that gives them options to purchase an array of high-tech gear, from drones to non-lethal Taser weapons that activate body cameras when pulled from holsters.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While their on-screen chemistry has sparked speculation about their off-screen relationship, both actors have repeatedly shut down rumors.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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The reports have sparked a federal investigation following concerns about whether the cases are connected.—
Toni Odejimi,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Most observers would say that this version of Bentancur was not quite as effective as the one seen under Antonio Conte, more able to cover ground in the middle and drive Tottenham forward.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
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Once officers arrived, people at the scene said that someone had driven a teenage boy who had been shot from the scene.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And let’s not get started on neighborhood historic preservation gatekeepers where, say, using the wrong balusters on your porch can set off World War III with your neighbors.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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At the vigil, Pierre’s family joined by dozens of friends, classmates and activists at the teen’s high school, Eagle Academy of Southeast Queens, before setting off down Merrick Blvd.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Shares of Marvell Technology gained nearly 6% on Monday amid reports that Google will use the chip design firm for two new chips to power artificial intelligence workloads.—
Katie Tarasov,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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On a recent weekday morning, dozens of state officials and energy industry representatives gathered at Tejon Ranch, just across the road from Edmonston, to celebrate a sparkling new solar plant that will help power the pumps.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The draft pick was top-10 protected in 2026, and with the Panthers owning the eighth-worst record in the NHL this season, the worst that pick can be after the draft lottery is 10th, as a maximum of two teams can potentially move up past the Panthers in that lottery.—
Steve Svekis,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
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Homeowner Maha Amin moved three dozen sandbags from the trunk of her car to her driveway Thursday, bracing for more flooding in Des Plaines.—
Madeline King,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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