as in triggering
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 touching off
With two minutes left in the period, Parayko ran Yurov into the boards from behind, touching off a fight between the Blues’ defenseman and Trenin.
—
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
Then suddenly, one set charged the other, touching off yearslong bloodshed that researchers are comparing to a human civil war.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
Auriemma’s, UConn’s Hall-of-Fame women’s basketball coach, had an uncharacteristic melt-down during and after his team lost to South Carolina, 62-48, in the semifinals, touching off a shouting match with Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
Last month, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s editor wrote that a recent job applicant withdrew from consideration for a reporting fellowship after discovering the position included filing notes to an AI writing tool instead of actually writing stories, touching off a heated debate in media circles.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Shortly after Goularte got into their pickup truck in Morgan Hill, authorities say, Velasquez shot at him, touching off an 11-mile high-speed car chase through the city that ended near Monterey Road and Bailey Avenue on the southern reaches of San Jose.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
The Facebook post has been viewed more than 140,000 times, touching off hundreds of comments over driver responsibility and technology.
—David R. Smith, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
Then suddenly, one set charged the other, touching off yearslong bloodshed that researchers are comparing to a human civil war.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
Auriemma’s, UConn’s Hall-of-Fame women’s basketball coach, had an uncharacteristic melt-down during and after his team lost to South Carolina, 62-48, in the semifinals, touching off a shouting match with Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
Last month, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s editor wrote that a recent job applicant withdrew from consideration for a reporting fellowship after discovering the position included filing notes to an AI writing tool instead of actually writing stories, touching off a heated debate in media circles.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Shortly after Goularte got into their pickup truck in Morgan Hill, authorities say, Velasquez shot at him, touching off an 11-mile high-speed car chase through the city that ended near Monterey Road and Bailey Avenue on the southern reaches of San Jose.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
The Facebook post has been viewed more than 140,000 times, touching off hundreds of comments over driver responsibility and technology.
—David R. Smith, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touching off
Verb
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On March 26, 1997, the Red Wings sought retribution as McCarty went after Lemieux, triggering a full-scale brawl with goalies Roy and Mike Vernon in a bloody fight at center ice.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
28 May 2026
-
The incident occurred on Wednesday night when authorities received a report of shots fired outside Barrett’s home, triggering a police response.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
28 May 2026
Verb
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By activating its regional proxy, the Houthis in Yemen, Iran could orchestrate the closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, blocking another vital artery connecting major trade routes between Europe, Asia and the Arab world.—
CNN Staff,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
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That means activating our downtown with farmers markets, cultural events, outdoor gatherings, and community programming that gives residents a reason to be there.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Decades ago, two six-year-olds went missing for thirty-six hours, sparking a media frenzy that they had been briefly abducted by UFOs but eventually relegating them to a pop cultural punchline.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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Bitcoin has swung wildly over the last few months as a sudden BlackRock bitcoin fund sell-off accelerates, sparking fears of a bitcoin price crash.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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That’s when Angotti got going, driving a ball over the left-center-field fence.—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
-
These reforms stripped the dominant Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of its historical control of the regional government, driving it into active opposition.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
The former congresswoman chose not only to not run for reelection during the 2026 cycle, but to resign her position at the beginning of the year, setting off a special election for her seat in Georgia's 14th congressional district.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Done in the style of the children’s classic Operation, Unethical Hoops requires players to use tweezers to pull objects from tiny holes, with the slightest touch of a metal border setting off a buzzer indicating failure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
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The moose charged the woman and kicked her several times before turning on the dogs.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Nippon Dynawave was cited for moving equipment involved before it could be inspected, but not for the incident itself, the news outlet reported.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Remember, as little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touching off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touching%20off. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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