as in to trigger
to cause to function
his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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This week's snowfall was triggered by unusual atmospheric instability affecting northern Chile.—
María de los Ángeles Orfila,
Space.com,
5 July 2025
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That, in turn, will trigger a future automatic benefit cut of 24% to all recipients, the centrist think tank projects.—
Ben Adler,
USA Today,
5 July 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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Iran supreme leader claims ‘victory’ in first public comments Khamenei’s silence since the war began had sparked intense speculation as to his whereabouts.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
27 June 2025
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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
Verb
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When the outdoor cooling station opened on Friday, White drove by to find no chairs for people to sit and no signage letting people know the cooling station was there.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
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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
Verb
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Santos Neto thrived in his band from 1977 to 1992 before setting off to hone his own, similarly expansive, body of tunes.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
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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Step into the rhythm of the day with ESSENCE PRESENTS: THE COLLECTIVE SET—an immersive sonic experience powered by today’s most exciting DJ crews and music collectives.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 July 2025
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Mercedes power units power the British team — giving the team hope for the coming seasons.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Verb
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As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 July 2025
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That he was moved by Gi-hun and now wants to give her closure and the money her father fairly won?—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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