touch off
verb
touched off; touching off; touches off
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
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touch%20off. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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