as in triggering
to cause to function
his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts
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Recent Examples of touching off
The Facebook post has been viewed more than 140,000 times, touching off hundreds of comments over driver responsibility and technology.
—
David R. Smith, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
David R. Smith, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Williams said, touching off laughter.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touching off
Verb
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At the same time, governments are increasingly relying on industrial policy to promote domestic production and strategic sectors, triggering a global subsidy race that is reshaping competitive dynamics.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
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His bombastic style, unfiltered rhetoric, and policy disruptions galvanized the Republican base while triggering a seismic reaction among Democrats.—
Nafees Alam,
Boston Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In response, Microsoft notes the company is adding further restrictions to activating IE Mode in Edge for non-commercial users.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
13 Oct. 2025
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Then comes Pluto, freshly direct in Aquarius, activating your friendship and community sector.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In fact, every apparent breakdown has turned into a bear trap, sparking powerful reversals in the opposite direction.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
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The post has been liked more than 46,000 times in less than 24 hours, sparking a flurry of emotional comments in the process.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bruce Owens, 49, of Paragould, who was driving the Hyundai, and a minor who was riding in the Jeep and not identified in the report were injured, the report says.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Oct. 2025
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After the video spread on social media, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a post on X that the arrest came as US Border Patrol was driving around conducting immigration enforcement.—
Josh Campbell,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The biggest stop of the season came in the final seconds when the Hornets stopped the Bears on downs inside the 2, setting off a sideline celebration.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
19 Oct. 2025
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In a bid to show Arj that money doesn’t buy happiness, Gabriel swaps his life with Jeff’s, setting off a chaotic week of rich-and-poor, Freaky Friday-esque hijinks.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Maybe the tide is turning on her feelings for him.—
Trish Deitch,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
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The 38-year-old woman now held at Sacramento County Main Jail, allegedly struck her husband with a vacuum cord before turning on her 10-year-old, beating the child with a metal pole.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Also on Sunday, Sturm scratched second line center Casey Mittelstadt, moving Pavel Zacha to center and re-inserting Khusnutdinov back into the lineup and onto the second line.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
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That said, there was energy for the gap scheme to be the default moving forward.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touching off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touching%20off. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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