TOUCHING OFF Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

touching off

verb

present participle of touch off

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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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 touching off The university prepared to wash its hands of this important part of its legacy, touching off a furious backlash. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for touching off

Verb

Initial analysis suggests global warming exacerbated the melting of the glacier that snapped off in August, triggering flash floods.

— Mamita Bhandari, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026
Eight gunmen then stormed the compound, triggering a 20-hour gunbattle that killed at least 21 people, most of them police officers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of triggering

Verb

This worker should own every stage, including attracting attention, nurturing intent, converting demand, activating customers, maximizing revenue and turning customers into distribution.

— Jake Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Researchers therefore began exploring partial reprogramming, briefly activating the Yamanaka factors in ways that appear to rejuvenate cells while maintaining their specialized identities.

— Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of activating

Verb

Mining for copper fell in the first half of the year relative to the same period in 2025, sparking fears over long-term supplies of the metal, which is key for the clean energy transition and building data centers.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
The economics of journalism itself, and the war is sparking options traders’ interest.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of sparking

Verb

Assigning officers to walk in community beat patrols instead of driving around in cars.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Health workers are receiving the Ervebo shot, a vaccine effective against a different Ebola strain than the Bundibugyo virus, which is driving this outbreak and has no licensed vaccine or treatment.

— Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of driving

Verb

In April 2025, then-Commission Chair Chris Measmer resigned to fill a vacancy in the North Carolina Senate, setting off a contentious replacement process.

— Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026
During surveillance, Joe recognizes one of the men involved in her abduction, setting off an operation that erupts into a deadly restaurant shootout.

— Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of setting off

Verb

One possible hypothesis comes in the prologue, set on June 9, 1956, turning on Police Commissioner Folcada, which suggests the terrible impunity of power.

— Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
But there’s nothing better than a little kid opening his gift and then turning on the TV watching the NBA games.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of turning on

Browse Nearby Words

touching down

touching off

touching (on)

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“Touching off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touching%20off. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of touching off

verb

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