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 company’s researchers invented much of the technology that touched off the current AI boom, but now Google is in a tight race with leading AI agent makers to win business from corporate customers clamoring for the technology to boost productivity.
—
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Her announcement touched off a new round of progressive candidates backing away from the Iron Dome.
—Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
The movie touched off nationwide controversy when it was first released because of the real-world violence that seemed to follow in its wake.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
That touched off a political firestorm and ultimately led Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which forced the Justice Department to make public all of the Epstein files in its possession.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
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
His death touched off days of vigils and demonstrations both in support of the fallen officer and to decry gun violence in the community.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 27 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
The boat, left there on shore, had touched off a prompt alarm.
—Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Her announcement touched off a new round of progressive candidates backing away from the Iron Dome.
—Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
The movie touched off nationwide controversy when it was first released because of the real-world violence that seemed to follow in its wake.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
That touched off a political firestorm and ultimately led Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which forced the Justice Department to make public all of the Epstein files in its possession.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
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
His death touched off days of vigils and demonstrations both in support of the fallen officer and to decry gun violence in the community.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 27 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
The boat, left there on shore, had touched off a prompt alarm.
—Elwyn "bud" Myers, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touched off
Verb
-
In all, 10 on-duty Portage officers, two off-duty officers and a Porter County sheriff’s deputy rushed to the scene with lights and sirens activated, the department said.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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Power comes from a 700-Wh battery, while regenerative braking – activated simply by back-pedaling – can recover enough energy to extend range by up to 25%, according to ICE.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 20,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That 10th booking of the season for Dunk triggered an automatic two-match ban, which ruled him out of a 2-0 win at Burnley and Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
And last month, a Black Hawk helicopter triggered an anti-collision alarm in a United plane landing in Orange County, California.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Performances like that, on the back of signing Gianluigi Donnarumma in the summer, sparked talk of major tactical changes by Guardiola.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The clip sparked debate online, though additional footage suggested Jordan may have been brushing ice or liquid off the child following a celebratory dousing.—
Ryan Brennan
April 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And let’s not get started on neighborhood historic preservation gatekeepers where, say, using the wrong balusters on your porch can set off World War III with your neighbors.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
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At the vigil, Pierre’s family joined by dozens of friends, classmates and activists at the teen’s high school, Eagle Academy of Southeast Queens, before setting off down Merrick Blvd.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Izzo, meanwhile, drove in two runs with a groundout and a sacrifice fly.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The lack of information drove Congress last year to pass the bill forcing the DOJ to release the Epstein files.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touched off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touched%20off. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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