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
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin now has the most goals in NHL history, a hallowed record that touched off reactions from around hockey and the broader sports world on Sunday.
—
John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
American trading partners reacted to Trump's tariffs announcement with condemnation and concern, warning that the measures could touch off a far-reaching and costly trade war.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2025
In September 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union jointly invaded Poland, touching off the Second World War in Europe.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Anger at the Kushner development has fused with anti-government protests, which touched off last November after the collapse of the roof at a train station in Novi Sad, Serbia's second largest city.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
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John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
American trading partners reacted to Trump's tariffs announcement with condemnation and concern, warning that the measures could touch off a far-reaching and costly trade war.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2025
In September 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union jointly invaded Poland, touching off the Second World War in Europe.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Anger at the Kushner development has fused with anti-government protests, which touched off last November after the collapse of the roof at a train station in Novi Sad, Serbia's second largest city.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 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 11 Apr. 2025.
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