triggering 1 of 2

adjective

as in provoking

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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
The Treasury’s intervention helped boost risky bets, triggering an upswing in crypto prices. — Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Redistricting battle spread to numerous states Missouri’s mid-decade redistricting effort has been among the most litigated nationally, triggering about a dozen lawsuits over the past year. — David A. Lieb, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Iran launched a drone attack against Azerbaijan early in the war, triggering harsh denunciations and speculation that Azerbaijan could enter the war. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2026 Flock appraises homes of landlords looking to sell without triggering costly capital gains taxes. — Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2026 And soon, the virus would also cross borders, triggering food insecurity, widespread sickness, and mass casualties around the world. — Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Prosecutors argued that the building caught on fire, triggering a massive explosion and propelling canisters in the air, one of which fatally struck Salter in the head. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget marked the occasion by noting that the retirement program’s trust fund is projected to be depleted in six years, triggering an automatic benefit reduction of about 22% under current law. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026 These cameras detect vehicles that enter an intersection after a traffic light has turned red, triggering the camera to capture a video of the violation and an image of the license plate, according to the company's website. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for triggering
  1. provoking
  2. activating
  3. inflammatory
  4. sparking
  5. explosive
  6. driving
  7. incendiary
  8. generating
Adjective
  • The Best Books of the Year (So Far) Our editors and critics choose the most captivating, notable, brilliant, surprising, absorbing, weird, thought-provoking, and talked-about books.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 24 June 2026
  • Chiarella has come up with an ingenious premise that is as twisted as it is thought-provoking.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Definition of provoking
Verb
  • Mercury conjoins Jupiter in Leo and your 3rd House of Communication, activating texts, calls, emails, errands, siblings, neighbors, and local connections.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Gonzalez pushed back on the explanation, warning Calvo that activating the emergency lights could have criminal consequences.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of activating
Adjective
  • One complication of breast augmentation is capsular contracture, an inflammatory response that creates a hardening of the scar tissue that forms around the implant.
    — Emma Sandler, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has hit Canadian goods with tariffs — in a push to bring manufacturing back to the United States — and has repeatedly made inflammatory comments about turning Canada into America’s 51st state.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of inflammatory
Verb
  • Early screening tests suggested thousands of Arkansas third graders were at risk of falling short, sparking alarm among some parents and educators.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Listening in from a nearby water tower via a wire, Rand realizes Kershaw’s connection to the plot and holds him at gunpoint, sparking a fierce brawl between them.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sparking
Adjective
  • The footage mixes high-speed chases and explosive action with comedic beats, framing a story built around chaos, mismatched heroism and rising stakes as the mission unfolds.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The rift widened in the wake of the couple’s explosive sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, their Netflix docuseries and Harry’s tell-all memoir.
    — Max Foster, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of explosive
Verb
  • Iran’s economy was in a dire state before the war too, with poor economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital city Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The economy is driving young Americans' enlistments, according to Pentagon data.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of driving
Adjective
  • It is typically armed with a 110-pound high explosive/fragmentation/incendiary warhead and guided by jam-resistant satellite navigation.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The president is facing a firestorm of criticism after her chief counsel, Luisa María Alcalde, unveiled the incendiary lists last week at the National Palace.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of incendiary
Verb
  • One bright spot for Labour Apart from generating growth, Burnham and Healey must address other problems that Starmer and Reeves failed to tackle.
    — Ian King, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Aside from generating electricity, Haiyang made history by turning its namesake city into China’s carbon-free district heating zone.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of generating

Browse Nearby Words

trigger-happy
triggering
triggerman
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Cite this Entry

“Triggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/triggering. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of triggering for Spanish Speakers

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