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
The next day, historic flooding tore through parts of the region — washing out highways, triggering rock and mudslides and cutting off communities that have spent more than a week navigating lengthy detours. — Kelly Werthmann, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026 Once these new authorities are in place, Rodríguez is expected to declare the presidency vacant, triggering a six-month deadline for elections, according to the State Department. — Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2026 The boy had been reported missing three days earlier, triggering a search that, according to the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station, included canvassing the community, wireless emergency alerts, and the use of scent dogs. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2026 Hybrid warfare combines tactics such as cyberattacks, sabotage and disinformation to destabilize adversaries without triggering open military conflict. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 11 Nov. 2026 Vaughan went missing from his home in Fruitland in July 2021, triggering a large-scale search. — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 10 Nov. 2026 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 The dispute is also triggering diplomatic fallout, with at least three Polish ambassadors resigning in protest. — Tyler Speicher, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 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
  • It can be customized via the Settings app for a cornucopia of use cases, including activating Silent Mode, Focus, Flashlight, Magnifier, Translate, and even third-party apps like the music ID tool Shazam.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Gamma is also a frequency that is ideally suited for activating inhibitory neurons, which scientists believe are dysfunctional in Alzheimer’s and play a major role in balancing the amount of activity in neural circuits.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 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
  • Across Lower East Side dives in the early 2000s, Brian Chase, Nick Zinner, and Karen O put on otherworldly rock shows that verged on performance art—a blaze of vodka-spitting, mic-fellating, IDGAF unruliness and explosive, clamorous tracks.
    — Megan Buerger, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • No explosive devices were found in the earlier incidents, according to authorities in various countries.
    — Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of explosive
Verb
  • The tokens burned spitting out anti-Waymo opinions are part of a monthslong battle between Waymo and its rivals over whether the autonomous driving company can operate commercially on the streets of several major cities.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • There was even a Panthers defensive stand in which the Broncos only burned 59 seconds and the Panthers had the ball, driving, with two minutes left in the game — only five points down.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of driving
Adjective
  • The normally quiet state race became the focus on intense scrutiny because of a pattern of incendiary remarks by French, the former Tarrant County GOP chair.
    — Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Elon Musk's own posts on X about Talarico were often personal and incendiary.
    — Katie McQue, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of incendiary
Verb
  • But for others, due to a growing oversaturation in low-budget genre, both the opportunities to grab money-generating eyeballs and the budgets to make these films have been dramatically squeezed.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 10 Nov. 2026
  • This raises questions about whether DUH’s priority is protecting consumers or generating publicity.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 10 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 12 Nov. 2026.

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