triggering 1 of 2

adjective

as in provoking

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Dissimilar Words

triggering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trigger
as in activating
to cause to function mold triggers my allergies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 triggering
Verb
In April 2025, former Commissioner Chris Measmer resigned to join the North Carolina Senate, triggering a contentious appointment process that resulted in a lawsuit and a judge blocking the board’s initial choice. — Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026 Late Sunday, 15 waterways across northern Arizona and southwestern Colorado either reached or were forecast to reach major flood stage, triggering evacuations and washing out roads. — Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026 One social media post suggested Buckeyes staff members may have cursed at Riley’s wife and children, triggering the coach’s reaction directed toward Bjork. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 The dispute is also triggering diplomatic fallout, with at least three Polish ambassadors resigning in protest. — Tyler Speicher, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026 The latest attack came as part of the ongoing war between the army and the RSF, which broke out in April 2023, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to aid organizations. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026 Military leaders identified the need to extend the runway and address safety requirements, triggering a major infrastructure effort around the base. — Hannah McIlree, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 The rich have been stung by a surprise 20% tax on their offshore wealth, much of it squirreled away in trusts in Hong Kong and Singapore, triggering a new rush for foreign passports. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Ultimately, diplomacy remains the only way to prevent the gap between American and Iranian perceptions and risk calculus from triggering another, potentially even more costly round of confrontation. — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 27 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for triggering
  1. provoking
  2. activating
  3. inflammatory
  4. sparking
  5. explosive
  6. driving
  7. incendiary
  8. generating
Adjective
  • Straker, the foul-mouthed, Daily Mail–provoking British chef, has made his way stateside.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Read Cep’s Profile of Kingsolver » Our editors and critics choose the most captivating, notable, brilliant, surprising, absorbing, weird, thought-provoking, and talked-about books.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of provoking
Verb
  • Those cases often centered on devices mistakenly activating or capturing speech that was not intended as a command.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Annie Palmer, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Semaglutide mimics its activity by activating GLP-1 receptors in the body.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of activating
Adjective
  • By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • So far, their most significant finding has been identifying cells in menstrual blood that express inflammatory biomarkers predictive of endometriosis.
    — Fiorella Valdesolo, Allure, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of inflammatory
Verb
  • Growing concern over microplastics and sustainability is sparking a wave of plastic-free coffee pods and machines.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The pirate crew is said to have tortured, killed and raped those aboard the royal ship, sparking global outrage and what is considered the first worldwide manhunt.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of sparking
Adjective
  • The world’s first legged inspection robot for explosive atmospheres is now set to be delivered to its customers.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Soon, other aggrieved groups—farmers, trade unionists, climate activists, yellow-vest protesters angered by rising costs—joined in, and the demonstrations that followed quickly became some of France’s most widespread and explosive since 1968.
    — Maurice Samuels, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of explosive
Verb
  • The analyst noted that industry checks and data indicate that infrastructure software demand is strengthening, with AI increasingly driving usage and growth.
    — TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
  • According to court records, Rogers was driving the vehicle and Arrington was a passenger.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of driving
Adjective
  • Piker is frequently attacked by right-wing media outlets for his sometimes incendiary takes on world events.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Ultimately, filmmaker Richard Kelly’s narrative bursts fizzle into a confusing meltdown, but along the way, it’s stoked with enough wiggy comedy and incendiary situations to keep its target teen audience straight up and satisfied.
    — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of incendiary
Verb
  • His team is still generating preclinical data to justify doing it for the advanced maternal age group.
    — Megan Molteni, STAT, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The study from August found that many models may avoid generating content around familiar conspiracies, but can generally be manipulated into creating misleading material.
    — Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of generating

Browse Nearby Words

trigger-happy
triggering
triggerman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Triggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/triggering. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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