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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Recent Examples of touch off
The tariffs have touched off a range of emotions along the world’s longest international border, where residents and industries are closely intertwined.
—
Dee-Ann Durbin and Sally Ho, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
That revelation, in turn, has touched off something of a eureka moment for many in the industry.
—Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2025
The memo has touched off a crisis at the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office and in Adams’ administration.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, bringing at least a temporary halt to the war in Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of people in the last 15 months and touched off broader turmoil across the Middle East.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Dee-Ann Durbin and Sally Ho, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
That revelation, in turn, has touched off something of a eureka moment for many in the industry.
—Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2025
The memo has touched off a crisis at the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office and in Adams’ administration.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, bringing at least a temporary halt to the war in Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of people in the last 15 months and touched off broader turmoil across the Middle East.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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Facebook triggered complaints about privacy violations, such as parents sharing private information without teens’ consent.—
Abdulmalik Alluhidan,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2025
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The collapse of Lehman Brothers and the ensuing financial crisis triggered a market-wide liquidity crunch, prompting investors to sell gold to offset losses in stocks and other assets.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The system can only be activated under certain driving conditions, requiring specific environmental and traffic criteria to be met.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
13 Mar. 2025
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Carsley said during his spell as interim coach that White still had his ‘do not disturb’ status activated after Southgate’s departure last summer.—
Oliver Kay,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Schumer’s move has sparked outrage from some Democrats and progressive activists who protested at his office and called on him to resign his position.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
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Another 1,671 firms reached $2.5 to $4.9 million, up from 506 in 2021. Transportation and warehousing: With the e-commerce explosion sparking demand for last-mile transportation and warehousing, solopreneurs in this space profited.—
Elaine Pofeldt,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The decision to focus on Bernstein and von Karajan was driven by Danish’s fascination with their contrasting reputations and profound cultural influences.—
Court Stroud,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
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This is why machines driven by biological muscles have always been rather small and simple—up to a couple centimeters long and typically with only a single actuating joint.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The high-profile deportations quickly set off a legal battle in the U.S.—
Annabelle Hanflig,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2025
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However, smoke from the barbeque made its way inside the home, setting off the smoke detectors.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Personalized Recommendations Recommendation systems powered by AI help cement your customers at the center of new integrations and processes.—
Bill Geary,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
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When enabled, Sentry Mode keeps a vehicle's camera and sensors powered on and ready to record suspicious activity.—
Kate Gibson,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But the Supreme Court is increasingly skeptical of regulatory power and curbed that authority in June 2024, ruling against the Biden administration and moving the interpretation of laws back squarely toward the courts.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
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The baby kept moving her fingers right around the dog's eyes, but Daisy Doo didn't care.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
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