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 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
But a buying frenzy touched off by the pandemic in 2020 depleted the inventory of homes for sale across the Hartford region and throughout much of Connecticut.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
Graves’ shot touched off a celebration on the Santa Clara bench.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
The boat, left there on shore, had touched off a prompt alarm.
—Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Your case touched off a global movement.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
In the immediate aftermath of the finale versus Canada, the nationwide celebration also touched off some controversy of its own.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
During the war, Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic ordered the ethnic cleansing of the majority Albanians in Kosovo, burning villages and forcing some 700,000 Kosovo Albanians to seek refuge in neighboring Albania, which touched off NATO intervention.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Among them was the brother of Sylville Smith, whose death at the hands of police touched off three days of rioting.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
But a buying frenzy touched off by the pandemic in 2020 depleted the inventory of homes for sale across the Hartford region and throughout much of Connecticut.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
Graves’ shot touched off a celebration on the Santa Clara bench.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
The boat, left there on shore, had touched off a prompt alarm.
—Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Your case touched off a global movement.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
In the immediate aftermath of the finale versus Canada, the nationwide celebration also touched off some controversy of its own.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
During the war, Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic ordered the ethnic cleansing of the majority Albanians in Kosovo, burning villages and forcing some 700,000 Kosovo Albanians to seek refuge in neighboring Albania, which touched off NATO intervention.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Among them was the brother of Sylville Smith, whose death at the hands of police touched off three days of rioting.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touched off
Verb
-
Specialized units were activated and police generally tried to maintain order.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Officers tried to do a traffic stop on the 2002 Jeep Cherokee with emergency lights and sirens activated, but the suspect continued southbound on Gratiot Avenue at speeds exceeding 100 mph, prosecutors said.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered an extraordinary energy pivot across Europe.—
Derek Chollet,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Sensors will be mounted on poles, which CDOT says can be triggered by vehicles as well as pedestrian and bicycle traffic.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The grand jury was sparked by reporting by the Lakeland Ledger.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The proposal was not substantially different from one the two sides had already agreed on before the deaths sparked demands for more changes, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the details, which have not been publicly released.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
What happens when a movement built on peace sets off a chain of events that leaves a region fluent only in the language of violence?—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
In September 1980, as the hostages were still in custody, Iraq launched a full-scale invasion of Iran, setting off a brutal, eight-year war between the two countries and prompting Tehran to change its view of its Tomcats.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The news of potential negotiations drove down the price of oil.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
An officer of the Alvarado Police Department drove up, got out of his car, and drew his weapon.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touched off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touched%20off. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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