triggering 1 of 2

triggering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trigger

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
Scientists have discovered that seismic waves from Japan’s devastating 2011 earthquake traveled to Earth’s core and back, triggering a second tectonic slip event that shifted the country eastward by up to 6 millimeters. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026 Feels-like temperatures are expected to soar up to 120 degrees in parts of Texas on Thursday, June 18, triggering extreme heat warnings and advisories in several parts of the state, according to the National Weather Service. Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 18 June 2026 Even sparks or embers carried by the wind can ignite nearby leaves or grass, triggering a fire that spreads rapidly. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026 In 2024, the Canadian women’s national team was accused of using a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session in the days leading up to its opening match at the Paris Olympics, triggering a spying scandal that led to sanctions against Canada. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026 Efforts over the next three and a half months failed to reopen the strait, triggering a global energy crisis and major economic damage to the UAE and the other Gulf states. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 17 June 2026 The reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant were flooded, triggering a nuclear disaster which forced more than 150,000 people to evacuate. Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 This brings hotter temperatures to the western parts of the Americas, triggering El Niño effects. Hali Smith june 17, Idaho Statesman, 17 June 2026 The 2026 Social Security Trustees Report moved the program’s day of reckoning squarely into the next presidential term, projecting that the retirement trust fund will be depleted in 2032 — triggering an automatic 22% cut to every retirement and survivor benefit. Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for triggering
Adjective
  • Chiarella has come up with an ingenious premise that is as twisted as it is thought-provoking.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
  • 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, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • Sprinting entails pushing off with your feet and abruptly activating your calf muscles.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • More time is devoted to setting up the dramatic situation than to activating it.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • Different genes for different cytokines, growth factors or other proteins could be swapped in to target specific diseases of the ocular surface, potentially extending the approach beyond corneal wounds to chronic inflammatory conditions.
    Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 16 June 2026
  • The technology could eventually treat corneal injuries, severe dry eye disease and other inflammatory disorders of the ocular surface, though it has not yet been tested in humans.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Bitcoin has struggled through 2026, plunging to half its October peak and sparking fears of an imminent bitcoin collapse.
    Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • While backing its longtime partner Iran rhetorically, China has been measured in its criticism of the US for sparking the conflict and held multiple calls and meetings with Gulf states that came under Iran’s attack.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Adjective
  • Scott says one explosive power training session per week is great for beginners.
    Margaret Cirino, NPR, 21 June 2026
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross said 2025 was the worst year for civilians in a decade, with more than 900 people killed or wounded by explosive devices.
    Ines Capdevila, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • The woman who was driving the sedan was taken to a local Shock Trauma Center after sustaining serious injuries.
    CBS Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 21 June 2026
  • Not to be overshadowed by the outfielder’s efforts, Cody Morrissette also went 3 for 5, with one home run, as well as driving home Wallner with a two-out single to end the game.
    Staff Report, Twin Cities, 21 June 2026
Adjective
  • Detectives who reviewed surveillance footage from the area along with evidence at the scene determined that the suspect used a rock to break a window and started fire using an improvised incendiary device, according to police.
    Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 17 June 2026
  • The incendiary remarks were roundly criticized on social media but went unaddressed throughout the remainder of the broadcast.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • Earl Grey teas are blended with bergamot oil to add a citrus flavor to the black tea, generating a slight vanilla flavor when served iced.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 19 June 2026
  • The lawyer of the future may increasingly resemble an architect, physician, or strategic advisor whose value lies not in generating work product but in validating, interpreting, and applying expertise.
    Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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