touch off

verb

touched off; touching off; touches off

transitive verb

1
a
: to provoke or initiate with sudden intensity
the verdict touched off local riots
b
: to cause to explode by or as if by touching with fire
2
: to describe or characterize with precision

Examples of touch off in a Sentence

his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Newsom has been a longtime and avid supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, so his remarks touched off a hissy fit among progressive Democrats. Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025 Trump's tariffs touched off a stock market plunge in recent days. Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2025 The firings immediately touched off an outcry among Democratic lawmakers, who said the cuts would delay enrollment for new patients and make fewer workers available to patients and help with diagnoses and treatment. Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025 The helicopter appears to strike the underside of the plane, touching off a massive fireball and sending both crafts into the Potomac River below. David K. Li, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for touch off

Word History

First Known Use

1694, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of touch off was in 1694

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touch%20off. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

touch off

verb
: to start by or as if by touching with fire
the announcement touched off riots
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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