1
a
: a piece (such as a lever) connected with a catch or detent as a means of releasing it
especially
: the part of the action moved by the finger to fire a gun
b
: a similar movable part by which a mechanism is actuated
trigger of a spray gun
2
: something that acts like a mechanical trigger in initiating a process or reaction
triggered; triggering
ˈtri-g(ə-)riŋ 
1
a
: to release or activate by means of a trigger
especially
: to fire by pulling a mechanical trigger
trigger a rifle
b
: to cause the explosion of
trigger a missile with a proximity fuse
2
: to initiate, actuate, or set off by a trigger
an indiscreet remark that triggered a fight
a stimulus that triggered a reflex
3
: to cause an intense and usually negative emotional reaction in (someone)
Water had a way of triggering my brother and making ordinary, everyday weather take a frightening turn for the worse.—
Ingrid Law
Ingrid Law
: to release a mechanical trigger
Synonyms
Examples of trigger in a Sentence
Verb
Smoke triggered the fire alarm.
The timer was set to trigger the bomb in exactly one hour.
His remarks triggered a public outcry.
Certain foods trigger his headaches.
The power outage was triggered by heavy rains.
Recent Examples on the WebMaureen Salamon, Verywell Health, 10 Apr. 2024
Anxiety and stress tend to be common triggers that cause eczema to flare up.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 10 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors argued that James Crumbley failed to use a cable lock, trigger lock or store the gun in a locked safe, any one of which could have prevented the shooting.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
Keltner has gathered stories about awe from 26 countries to look for common triggers.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
As the Xbox strategy continues to evolve inside Microsoft and Choudhry’s departure triggers more shake-ups, Microsoft is in the middle of planning for its big summer Xbox showcase.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 5 Apr. 2024
That’s because there’s really no one-size-fits-all approach: Some workouts can improve symptoms and help mitigate certain triggers, like an inability to sleep well.
—Erica Sweeney, SELF, 3 Apr. 2024
Complex problems Northern Territory officials said the trigger for Tuesday’s violence occurred three weeks ago when an 18-year-old man died in a car accident during the early hours of March 8.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Baldwin is scheduled to face his own involuntary manslaughter trial in July for pointing the gun at the cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, and, allegedly, pulling the trigger.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Mar. 2024
Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
Otherwise, an audit may be triggered if multiple people try to claim the same child as a dependent on their returns.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The climactic moment of Plemons’ scene, when a truck takes him out, is triggering wildly disparate reactions.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
For on-camera use, the shoe's pin triggers the flash.
—PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
That triggered the latest war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, where more than 30,000 people in Gaza have died from Israel's military response.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
Reaching the second round, the Sweet 16 and Final Four can also trigger pay raises.
—Matt Jones, arkansasonline.com, 10 Apr. 2024
If the council would then affirm Platt’s three-year contract extension, that would trigger a citywide vote on the next available election date, which would be the Aug. 6 primary.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
Swatting attempts, which are false threats intended to trigger police responses, have become more widespread against schools in recent years.
—Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024
Noun
Of the beta-blockers recognized as psoriasis triggers, Inderal (propranolol) is the most common culprit.
—Maureen Salamon, Verywell Health, 10 Apr. 2024
Anxiety and stress tend to be common triggers that cause eczema to flare up.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 10 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors argued that James Crumbley failed to use a cable lock, trigger lock or store the gun in a locked safe, any one of which could have prevented the shooting.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
Keltner has gathered stories about awe from 26 countries to look for common triggers.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
As the Xbox strategy continues to evolve inside Microsoft and Choudhry’s departure triggers more shake-ups, Microsoft is in the middle of planning for its big summer Xbox showcase.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 5 Apr. 2024
That’s because there’s really no one-size-fits-all approach: Some workouts can improve symptoms and help mitigate certain triggers, like an inability to sleep well.
—Erica Sweeney, SELF, 3 Apr. 2024
Complex problems Northern Territory officials said the trigger for Tuesday’s violence occurred three weeks ago when an 18-year-old man died in a car accident during the early hours of March 8.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Baldwin is scheduled to face his own involuntary manslaughter trial in July for pointing the gun at the cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, and, allegedly, pulling the trigger.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
The start of the earnings season saw major banks slightly surpassing estimates, yet the overall negative sentiment has still triggered a negative response from stocks.
—Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
Otherwise, an audit may be triggered if multiple people try to claim the same child as a dependent on their returns.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The climactic moment of Plemons’ scene, when a truck takes him out, is triggering wildly disparate reactions.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
For on-camera use, the shoe's pin triggers the flash.
—PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
That triggered the latest war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, where more than 30,000 people in Gaza have died from Israel's military response.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
Reaching the second round, the Sweet 16 and Final Four can also trigger pay raises.
—Matt Jones, arkansasonline.com, 10 Apr. 2024
If the council would then affirm Platt’s three-year contract extension, that would trigger a citywide vote on the next available election date, which would be the Aug. 6 primary.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
Swatting attempts, which are false threats intended to trigger police responses, have become more widespread against schools in recent years.
—Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trigger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near trigger
Cite this Entry
“Trigger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trigger. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
trigger
2 of 2 verb
triggered; triggering
-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to fire by pulling a trigger
2
: to begin, stir up, or set in motion as if by pulling a trigger
the remark that triggered the laughter
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