TOUCHES OFF Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

touches off

verb

present tense third-person singular of touch off

as in triggers

to cause to function his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of touches off But on its way to him, the ball took the smallest of touches off teammate Igor Matanović. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for touches off

Verb

Cutting inside opens the diagonal angle and this move immediately triggers the Arsenal players to intersect the line.

— Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
In animals, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) inside the muscle supplies most of the mechanical energy, while an electrical impulse travels along a motor neuron and triggers a chain of events that causes skeletal muscle fibers to contract.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of triggers

Verb

But Argano, who drives Engine 10, isn't quite ready to pack it in.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
Also at play are generic and biosimilar products that have come onto the market, offering competition that drives down the prices of expensive brand-name and biologic drugs.

— Melissa Goldin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of drives

Verb

Researchers are adapting the magnetron—the same component that powers microwave ovens—to provide the 10 megawatts of power required for ADS.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Feb. 2026
How Wisconsin's solar battery park powers 130,000 homes The Paris Solar farm began producing power in December 2024 and generates 200 megawatts of renewable electricity during the day.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2025

Definition of powers

Verb

Ultimately, Miles sacrifices himself so that the others can escape, holding onto the detonator that sets off a massive explosion until his final breath.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
The idea that the relationship was ending sets off alarm bells for experts like Nikki Engel, who serves as the co-executive director of Violence Free Minnesota.

— Conor Wight, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of sets off

Verb

Colorado moves way up to one spot ahead of Georgia Tech after blocking the final field goal for the road win over the Yellow Jackets.

— Chris Vannini, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Buoyed by her leadership of the multi-billion-dollar expansion project last decade, Espino moves up from deputy administrator to take full command of the canal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of moves

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touches down

touches off

touches (on)

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“Touches off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touches%20off. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of touches off

verb

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