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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of touch off
The hit touched off a fight, and ended with Minnesota on a power play, which would produce their first goal of the night.
—
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
Their disappearance was not noticed for several hours and touched off a massive manhunt.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2025
Bailey did more than amplify the Giants’ resurgent playoff hopes when his bases-clearing home run clinched a 5-1 victory and touched off mass euphoria in China Basin.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
Their disappearance was not noticed for several hours and touched off a massive manhunt.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2025
Bailey did more than amplify the Giants’ resurgent playoff hopes when his bases-clearing home run clinched a 5-1 victory and touched off mass euphoria in China Basin.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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Mismanagement by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother who was elected in 2019, triggered mass protests.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
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The raid triggered widespread condemnation from news organizations and press freedom advocates.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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During inquiries, the ICO found 178 active email accounts using passwords identical or similar to those set by the organization’s IT desk when the account was activated.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Brown was 20 at the time, and Bongiovi was 22, which sparked some online controversy.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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China’s apparent surge in missile production comes as the US expends sophisticated defense systems in Ukraine and Israel, causing some ammunition shortages and sparking debate in Washington about how and where to deploy its high-end weapons.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The offer is available for dine-in and drive-thru only and is not valid through the McDonald’s app.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Nov. 2025
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Timber, litter and understory vegetation are the main fuels driving the wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Before setting off, many migrants wrapped T-shirts around their faces as protection from the blistering sun.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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The police set off to raid the premises.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Clean energy is driving a state of 40 million people, offering more affordable energy and creating reliable jobs that will power the future.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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In an interview with Fortune, Brockman described building AGI as an end-to-end engineering challenge, one that spans everything from how the models are designed to the chips, servers, and data centers that power the training and running of models.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Then, at the next vehicle entrance, the city is proposing a tunnel so bike traffic can move without interacting with cars.—
Amir Mahmoud,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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Even 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
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