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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of touch off
The mayor’s own involuntary commitment initiative, under which NYPD officers and outreach teams took in individuals who appeared to pose a threat, has touched off controversy since its start in 2022.
—
Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025
The city was recovering from the police killing of Arthur McDuffie, which touched off devastating race riots.
—Martin Vassolo, Axios, 13 Sep. 2024
The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Skyrocketing salaries for top athletes and lucrative deals for college players have touched off a new gold rush among wealth management firms.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touch off 
Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025
The city was recovering from the police killing of Arthur McDuffie, which touched off devastating race riots.
—Martin Vassolo, Axios, 13 Sep. 2024
The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Skyrocketing salaries for top athletes and lucrative deals for college players have touched off a new gold rush among wealth management firms.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 24 Dec. 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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Starring Masaki Suda, the film is a thriller that follows a young man named Yoshii who resells goods online and ends up triggering a series of mysterious events, blurring the boundaries between the online and offline worlds.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Apple’s recent software update, iOS 18.3, automatically activates the Apple Intelligence feature for both new users and those upgrading on eligible devices.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
24 Jan. 2025
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There is a release clause of around €55million (£46m) and Athletic will only sell if that gets activated, so the fact his contract ends in 2027 is irrelevant.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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One that opens up a deeper, more nuanced conversation, one that doesn’t just spark debate but reaches into the heart of cultural identity and personal truth.—
Ruhama Wolle,
Glamour,
22 Jan. 2025
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Within about an hour starting shortly after midnight Tuesday, three wildfires sparked in the Fallbrook and Bonsall areas.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Baltimore’s greatest strength lies in its people — grassroots organizations, health care providers and community leaders tirelessly working to save lives and drive change.—
Pradeep Thomas,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Jan. 2025
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The guard told 911 dispatch that a suspicious vehicle — a dark SUV — had driven through his yard.—
Emma Steele,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Instead of setting off 12 years of party control like Reagan did, Dems eked out just four, and now risk finding themselves in the political wilderness.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
22 Jan. 2025
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But attacking the camera did not appear to set off major alarms about Mr. Mejia, whose last conviction, for setting the vestibule fire, had been more than five years earlier.—
Michael Wilson,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Credit card debt, which powers much retail spending, reached $1.2 trillion, up 8.1% over previous year.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
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For decades, cosmologists assumed that this expansion was powered by a new entity in the universe, known as the inflaton.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Senate Republicans are moving ahead quickly on Hegseth’s nomination despite an affidavit from his former sister-in-law obtained by Senate Democrats that accuses him of having an alcohol problem and being abusive to his ex-wife Samantha Hegseth.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2025
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The snow is moving east Tuesday, and is affecting coastal areas all the way to the Florida Panhandle and southern Carolinas.—
Andrew Freedman,
Axios,
22 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 29 Jan. 2025.
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