trigger point

noun

: a localized usually tender or painful area of the body and especially of a muscle that when stimulated gives rise to pain elsewhere in the body

Examples of trigger point in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mandatory restrictions: what to expect According to the Drought Management Plan, trigger points for issuing Mandatory Water Restrictions include but are not limited to: An inability for the water treatment plant to operate at peak capacity due to a reduction in the yield of raw water supplies. —Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 7 Sep. 2024

Vibrating foam roller: on sale for $169 Original price: $199 Foam rollers are popular tools for helping athletes release muscle knots or trigger points. —Nora Colomer, Fox News, 28 Dec. 2024

Mandatory water restrictions may be issued with the verification of any or all trigger points listed in the plan. —Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 7 Sep. 2024

The Nobel Peace Prize this year was given to an organization that has warned of the dangers of nuclear war and South Asia remains one of the most sensitive trigger points for such a conflagration. —Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1891, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

trigger point

noun

: a localized usually tender or painful area of the body and especially of a muscle that when stimulated gives rise to pain elsewhere in the body

A trigger point in the calf muscle can also cause discomfort or weakness in the heel or arch; a trigger point in the thigh may cause pain around the knee.

—Runner's World

called also trigger area, trigger zone