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 op-ed's publication touched off a leak investigation in Trump's first White House.
—
Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
When the bubble burst in 2008, touching off the financial crisis, the two enterprises were rushed into government control.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 23 May 2025
The case, coming amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, had touched off protests.
—James Barron, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
The rapid decline was touched off by World War l and punctuated by the Great Depression.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
When the bubble burst in 2008, touching off the financial crisis, the two enterprises were rushed into government control.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 23 May 2025
The case, coming amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, had touched off protests.
—James Barron, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
The rapid decline was touched off by World War l and punctuated by the Great Depression.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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Resource and organizational constraints are triggering strategic realignments.—
Timothy J. McClimon,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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At high levels, free radicals trigger what’s known as oxidative stress, which can damage cell DNA and increase your risk of conditions like heart disease and diabetes.78 4.—
Cynthia Sass,
Health,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, in suburban Cook County, three courthouses — in Skokie, Maywood and Markham — were activated as 24/7 cooling centers from June 21 to June 24 in response to the heat advisory.—
Lily Carey,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2025
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It’s been a couple of years since Google and Jamestown activated a stretch of downtown San Jose near SAP Center with its Creekside Socials, block parties with music, art and food trucks.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
Verb
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But so many conversations have been sparked on this topic, conversations that before the movie was out, noone could have.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
27 June 2025
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Judges have issued dozens of nationwide injunctions in lawsuits that have been brought over Trump administration policies in the months since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, sparking the ire of the president and his allies as much of his agenda has been blocked in court.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Preventing the spread of marijuana laced with chemicals is one of the driving factors behind Tyson's push for federal reform.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
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This economic activity drives growth in industries from retail and automotive to housing and hospitality.—
Ana Valdez,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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According to Meeks, seven people started the day with a religious mass around 5:30 a.m. before setting off for a hike in Royal Gorge.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
25 June 2025
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Pulled along by Valérie like a recalcitrant puppy, Richard sets off on a quest to find the missing man, who may have ties to the Sicilian Mafia.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
25 June 2025
Verb
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It’s finished in Bianco white over a Rosso red leather interior and powered by a 2.4-liter V-6 mated to a five-speed manual that makes just under 200 hp.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
24 June 2025
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From the Arsenal of Democracy in World War II to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s internet and NASA’s Apollo moonshot, many of America’s greatest achievements were powered not by isolated breakthroughs, but by integrated ecosystems aligned around clear national objectives.—
Toni Townes-Whitley,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Wales have done well under Wilkinson to move away from a hardened reputation as being Fishlock’s team and become more of a sum of their parts.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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There’s no way to move forward without acknowledging that.—
Cindy Juyoung Ok
June 26,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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