as in activated
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 touched off
The killing touched off a massive response from law enforcement that led investigators to a residence in Kansas City’s Davidson neighborhood in the Northland.
—
Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
But both further polarized a nation already deeply divided by political ideology and touched off a movement to punish those whose views did not fall in line with the prevailing sentiment of the moment.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 20 Sep. 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
Then OpenAI’s ChatGPT, released only a few weeks before Mercor’s founding, touched off a race among the tech giants to train the most advanced AI models.
—Richard Nieva, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The explosions and fire touched off July 1 on a rural compound near County Roads 23 and 86A, where two fireworks companies — Devastating Pyrotechnics and BlackStar Fireworks — were storing materials.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
That led to the Fed chief signaling rate cuts ahead, which touched off a powerful Friday market rally .
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025
Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
But both further polarized a nation already deeply divided by political ideology and touched off a movement to punish those whose views did not fall in line with the prevailing sentiment of the moment.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 20 Sep. 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
Then OpenAI’s ChatGPT, released only a few weeks before Mercor’s founding, touched off a race among the tech giants to train the most advanced AI models.
—Richard Nieva, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The explosions and fire touched off July 1 on a rural compound near County Roads 23 and 86A, where two fireworks companies — Devastating Pyrotechnics and BlackStar Fireworks — were storing materials.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
That led to the Fed chief signaling rate cuts ahead, which touched off a powerful Friday market rally .
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touched off
Verb
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The county’s emergency operations center was activated as winds over 70 mph hit downtown Denton, according to the Denton County Office of Emergency Management.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Demarcus Robinson can come off suspension for Sunday’s home game against Jacksonville, and Brandon Aiyuk is eligible to be activated ahead of a Week 5 visit to the Los Angeles Rams, although a more likely target is Week 6 at Tampa Bay.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trump fired Comey from the FBI leadership role in 2017, a move that triggered the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and a wider DOJ investigation into the Republican's campaign contacts with Russia and Moscow's interference in the 2016 presidential election.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
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This shortage was exacerbated during the pandemic home-buying frenzy, when historically low mortgage rates triggered a surge in demand all across the country which brought prices up.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To be sure, lower mortgage rates have sparked a surge in at least one corner of the housing market.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
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The killing sparked a tense national debate over partisan rhetoric and politically motivated violence, with many conservatives calling for the firing of otherwise non-public figures who celebrated Kirk's death or spoke ill of him in some way.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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Investors and journalists regularly parse his press conferences for hints about upcoming rate cuts or hikes, trying to get ahead of the market; even the suggestion of a pause or a pivot can set off rallies or selloffs on Wall Street.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Springer should have reached base and drove in a pair of runs to give the Blue Jays the lead in the bottom of the second.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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Francisco Lindor led off the game with a home run and drove in two other runs with a groundout in the fifth inning and a single in the sixth.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touched off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touched%20off. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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