as in to trigger
to cause to function
his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of touch off
The pyrotechnics facility, located at County Road 23 and County Road 86A in Esparto, exploded around 6 p.m. Tuesday and touched off a 78-acre fire.
—
Jason Green, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
Blackburn's comments touched off speculation among gamblers.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Those air attacks touched off lethal volleys between Iran and Israel.
—Robert Polner, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
An exogenous shock like a war would raise demand and touch off a boom.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Jason Green, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
Blackburn's comments touched off speculation among gamblers.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Those air attacks touched off lethal volleys between Iran and Israel.
—Robert Polner, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
An exogenous shock like a war would raise demand and touch off a boom.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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Scientists hope these conditions could trigger DNA changes that make the plants more resilient back on Earth.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
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Of the citations, 282 were triggered by complaints and the rest were the result of standard health inspections.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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About 800 National Guard troops are being activated, with Humvees parked along the Washington Monument and near Union Station.—
John Seewer,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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The Pro Bowl linebacker was finally activated from the physically unable to perform list last Sunday after 11 months of rehabbing and trying to get back on the practice field.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The brawl has sparked a broader conversation about crime and safety in Cincinnati.—
Cameron Knight,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
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His previous early release from prison has sparked criticism following his arrest Aug. 8. Court records show why Langford was granted shock probation in 2024.—
Lucas Aulbach,
The Courier-Journal,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The storm, still driving dangerous, 125 mph winds, was centered about 170 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 8 a.m. ET, the NHC said.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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The fire truck is believed to be the city's first ladder truck and is planned to be driven in the 2026 Heritage Days parade.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The rumble of the engines set off car alarms in the distance as ULA opened up its national security account for Vulcan, making only its third ever launch after flying two certification flights in 2024.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Aug. 2025
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That impulsive rescue set off a chain reaction that would change everything.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Redemption has been a key element in powering his road back to Manchester City via Accrington, Bolton and Burnley over the past four years.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
9 Aug. 2025
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The Endgame: Walled Gardens With Super Agents No retailer or marketplace wants its data powering a rival’s AI agent.—
Jason Goldberg,
Forbes.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Mederos had been more over the top, but the Angels moved his arm down about 10 degrees.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
14 Aug. 2025
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The weakness occurs when data moves from one system to another and is left unencrypted.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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