as in triggering
to cause to function
his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touching off
Verb
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The last jackpot winner claimed their prize in California on May 31, triggering the current unprecedented streak.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025 -
Imagine Maye triggering a triple-option run with Stevenson, keeping the ball and veering off the edge with Henderson behind him.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Otherwise, the sheer magnitude of America’s natural gas resource has enabled drillers to quickly overwhelm temporary spikes in prices by activating a number of additional drillings and driving prices back down with higher production volumes.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The stand's design holds the watch on its side, automatically activating Nightstand Mode and turning your watch into a bedside clock.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In July, two Russian Gerbera drones -- one of which was carrying more than 4 pounds of explosives -- crossed into Lithuania from Belarus, sparking a national inquest as to the country's readiness to safeguard its airspace.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
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Instead of focusing only on top flyers, AAdvantage surprises mid-level customers with top-tier treatment, sparking aspiration and stronger engagement.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nothing better than putting down the top and driving beautiful roads just after the rain stops and the air is powerfully charged by the nearby ocean, scrubbed clean.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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The jury cleared Read of killing O’Keefe, charging her with just drunken driving.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the finale, Rick shoots Jim, setting off a line of crossfire that ultimately kills his girlfriend Chelsea (Amy Lou Wood) before Sritala (Lek Patravadi) reveals that Jim was actually Rick’s father.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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One of his owners had gotten home from work and didn’t see him, setting off a search for clues.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
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Freezing your credit, turning on alerts and keeping an eye on medical and financial accounts give you back some control.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Woolen was running stride-for-stride with Pearsall but misplayed the ball and slowed down while the second-year wideout kept moving forward.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cavitation, on the other hand, provides a high-energy, controllable launch system that doesn’t require onboard power or moving parts.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Touching off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touching%20off. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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