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
As San Jose police and other law enforcement agencies converged on the site, authorities say Husien rushed a police sergeant who had just arrived and opened fire, touching off a close-range gunfight in which the sergeant was grazed in the head by a bullet.
—
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 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
Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 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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If the offset resumed, some taxpayers would see their refunds reduced or eliminated, likely triggering headaches at the IRS, too, even though the IRS does not control offset decisions.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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The victims, all elementary school students, got into difficulty in a frozen pond in Bonham, a city about 60 miles northeast of Dallas, triggering a desperate effort by their mother and a neighbor to save them, FOX 4 reported.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The spring brings a defining moment as Mars (celestial ruler of your career sector) conjuncts Saturn in Aries (April 10), activating your third house of communication and strategy.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This new model deeply celebrates the amazing artists of our region while activating our full theatre complex, and inviting audiences to engage with new stories in meaningful ways together.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The hotter temperatures are sparking changes in precipitation—rainier rains and drier droughts.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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The confrontation is sparking a conversation about theater etiquette.—
Kristie Keleshian,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Weather Service warns that poor visibility and slick roads could make driving a bad idea.—
Caroline Silva,
AJC.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Sombr’s rendition strips the track back emotionally while reshaping it sonically, layering distorted vocals and a driving indie-rock pulse over the song’s core melody.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While crews were investigating, an explosion rocked the 15th and 16th floors, setting off multiple fires and briefly trapping firefighters in an elevator.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
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Authorities said that in the moments leading up to the video, Husien shot at a police sergeant after the officer attempted to use his patrol vehicle to block the car Husien was driving, which police said had been taken in a carjacking, setting off a close-range gunfight at the sergeant’s SUV.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kay, of course, is referencing Whitney turning on Jonah by ousting him from his own company.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
14 Jan. 2026
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Far from turning on her, the audience awards her with a head-spinning third applause break in just 50 seconds.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some folks who were moving a little slow, some folks wanted to dilute the Canadiana or the Big C Canadian of it.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Karlee Smith jumped on a quad bike to help herd sheep away from the fast-moving flames on a farm in the town of Gellibrand, a small rural town, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) southwest of Melbourne.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touching off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touching%20off. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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