as in activates
to cause to function
mold triggers my allergies
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Recent Examples of triggers
Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Turns out the combination of hot liquid, salt and easily digestible carbohydrates triggers multiple comfort responses in our bodies.
—Cheryl Russell, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
In everyday life, this habit might look like encouraging a socially anxious partner to attend an event, supporting a career risk that triggers fear or asking a conflict-avoidant partner to speak more honestly.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Although political discourse often triggers stress, the Party Line project hopes to facilitate meaningful and kind conversations that activate happiness-boosting neurotransmitters.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Their arrival triggers a series of bizarre events, including power outages and a potentially catastrophic decrease in the local dam’s water level.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 23 Jan. 2026
The notice triggers a 30-day comment period.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The crime triggers a sense of paranoia that only grows in Prime Video’s six-part series.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Director of Transportation Tom Vander Woude said huge cost changes likely would also include changing the scope of the project, which automatically triggers the amendment process and the resultant bureaucratic reviews.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
In the brain, the virus leads to an immune response that triggers inflammation, can damage brain cells, and can even shrink brain volume, according to research on imaging studies that was published in March 2022 in the journal Nature.
—Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Turns out the combination of hot liquid, salt and easily digestible carbohydrates triggers multiple comfort responses in our bodies.
—Cheryl Russell, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
In everyday life, this habit might look like encouraging a socially anxious partner to attend an event, supporting a career risk that triggers fear or asking a conflict-avoidant partner to speak more honestly.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Although political discourse often triggers stress, the Party Line project hopes to facilitate meaningful and kind conversations that activate happiness-boosting neurotransmitters.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Their arrival triggers a series of bizarre events, including power outages and a potentially catastrophic decrease in the local dam’s water level.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 23 Jan. 2026
The notice triggers a 30-day comment period.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The crime triggers a sense of paranoia that only grows in Prime Video’s six-part series.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Director of Transportation Tom Vander Woude said huge cost changes likely would also include changing the scope of the project, which automatically triggers the amendment process and the resultant bureaucratic reviews.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
Binary triggers allow a semiautomatic weapon to fire both when the trigger is pulled and released, increasing its rate of fire.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for triggers
Verb
-
Instead of recognizing the tumor as an invader that needs to be destroyed, the brain processes the signal and activates the sympathetic nervous system, mainly known as the driver of the fight-or-flight response.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Warm water increases gastric volume (the amount of contents in the stomach) and activates stretch receptors in your stomach, which send signals of fullness, Dardarian adds.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Outside,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This suggests the presence of an internal, self-evolving latent variable—independent of external stimuli—that shapes the timing structure of motivation and decision-making.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Emotional numbing symptoms, in particular, are known to intensify this pattern of reacting sharply to negative stimuli and then shutting down emotionally.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Pratt Industries donates 100 alarms Pratt Industries’ Mill Division in Valparaiso has donated 100 carbon monoxide alarms to the Valparaiso Fire Department to support fire safety efforts, according to a release.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Added to this, crews are finding ways to get around this unacceptable situation by ignoring alarms and even rewiring systems so the alarms never sound in the first place.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Lake Zurich 18-9 (3) Addison Leonard’s outstanding defense against Libertyville star Lily Fisher sparks the Bears, who surge to the top of the North Suburban Conference.—
Bobby Narang,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Their collaboration sparks unlikely friendships and sets off consequences none had anticipated.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The reactor facilitates rapid heat dissipation, preventing the thermal runaway that typically degrades catalysts.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Demand for Nike grew by 27 percent compared to third quarter 2024, with low-top core models and the second collection from its Skims collaboration as the primary catalysts.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Unlike body composition metrics, BMI obscures the true extent of metabolic dysfunction and cannot distinguish between muscle and fat — or between superficial fat and the visceral fat that drives diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.—
Bret Scher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Some of what also drives Honnold is making the world a better place.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Onsite diesel generators are an emergency solution for large users such as data centers to reduce strain on the grid.—
Conor Harrison,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Hospital courtyards, generators and shopping streets in the city are now protected.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The latest changes include financial incentives for appropriate downtown commercial-to-residential conversion projects, including a 100% waiver of building and construction taxes and a 50% reduction of park impact fees for the first 500 units, as the office market continues to struggle.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
It was unlocked because complexity was removed, incentives were aligned, and capital was forced to reprice assets independently.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Triggers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/triggers. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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