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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of touch off
Skyrocketing salaries for top athletes and lucrative deals for college players have touched off a new gold rush among wealth management firms.
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Robert Frank, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
This week, scientists revealed climate change touched off the rare cascade of events because thinning ice triggered a landslide.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2024
On the witness stand last month, Momeni said Lee had attacked him in a fit of anger touched off by a joke.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Dec. 2024
But the defense has argued throughout trial that other factors could have touched off the blaze, and that even if the cause was the stun gun, there is no proof Crawford meant to pull the trigger.
—Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touch off 
Robert Frank, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
This week, scientists revealed climate change touched off the rare cascade of events because thinning ice triggered a landslide.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2024
On the witness stand last month, Momeni said Lee had attacked him in a fit of anger touched off by a joke.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Dec. 2024
But the defense has argued throughout trial that other factors could have touched off the blaze, and that even if the cause was the stun gun, there is no proof Crawford meant to pull the trigger.
—Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touch off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch off
Verb
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The fire triggered a round of mandatory evacuations in the nearby areas of Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre.Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
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When Imagineering last made updates to the attraction in 2021, Irvine’s team spoke of potentially removing the hanging corpse in the stretching room, noting such an image could be triggering for some guests.Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Suppose Alice gives Bob one bitcoin in a transaction that will activate only after block 1 million.Korok Ray, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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The alert will trigger an emergency lockdown and will alert the Broward Sheriff’s Office real-time crime center, which has access to surveillance cameras that activate during an emergency.Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Choi has similarly spoken about the importance of handling the delicate situation in a prudent manner that avoids sparking wider unrest.Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Jan. 2025
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Bernard’s resignation comes after Adams’ first Charter Revision Commission launched last year also include the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, who sparked residency concerns over his New Jersey home.Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Revenues from services and fees increased by $17.7 million, driven by growth in the Capital Markets and Financial Consulting segments, while the Communications segment saw a decline.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Jan. 2025
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Banana and Nut Butter In addition to tryptophan, the sugar in ripe bananas may help release insulin, driving larger amino acids into muscle tissue.Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The court’s ruling set off a scramble by TikTok to appeal the case, and the company and creators went to the Supreme Court after the appeals court declined to pause the law from taking effect in order to give TikTok more time to bring its case before the Supreme Court.Alison Durkee, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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This report set off a firestorm of responses that highlight the increasing sensitivity of European countries to partnering with SpaceX—the success of which has put serious pressure on Europe's launch industry—as well as the Trump administration and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Acer has launched two new handheld PCs, the Nitro Blaze 8 and 11 with higher resolution displays powered by AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processors.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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Allowing China to take Taiwan would also be an economic and geopolitical blow for the U.S., since Taipei is the primary source of semiconductor chips that power smart devices and a friendly economical hub in the Pacific.Brad Dress, The Hill, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The couple had just moved from their modest fixer-upper in Altadena’s Janes Village to their dream home in architect Gregory Ain’s Park Planned homes, when the Eaton fire roared to life.Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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Still, the ramifications for those who lived and moved across the Utah territory during this time echo throughout American history.Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near touch off
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch%20off. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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