trigger 1 of 2

Definition of triggernext

trigger

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of trigger
Verb
Yet certain types of speech can still trigger criminal charges, and Morocco has seen tightening restrictions on dissent, including against journalists and activists. ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026 The answer is that the chlorophyll pigment dominant in green leaves is more efficient at triggering photosynthesis — the process by which plants make the sugar that sustains them — than the pigments dominant in darker leaves. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
He was later apprehended and found to have a trigger, rifle accessory and a box of ammunition totalling just over $544 in value. Nick Lentz, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026 McCollum’s staff knows not to pull the trigger unless there’s absolute confidence that the call will be overturned. Maura Carey, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trigger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trigger
Verb
  • The lefty underwent an elbow cleanup procedure at the start of the offseason; the Yankees hope to activate him sometime in April.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Like a grill, when activated by an operator, the drone stations open a lid.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But there are a number of reasons to file tax returns even when they’re not strictly required, including claiming tax credits, getting back income tax withheld from paychecks or retirement accounts, and getting access to any future government stimulus payments that might be offered.
    Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Unlike conventional systems that are often heavy and mechanically complex, this lightweight material responds to external stimuli such as heat.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The fact that the President is now signalling a messy retreat has nothing to do with insufficient lethality and everything to do with politics—in particular, the alarm in the global oil markets and the American public’s widespread opposition to the war.
    Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • But sitting on the shore of a full San Pablo Reservoir, Nelsy Rodriguez, with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), says this isn't a sound-the-alarm moment.
    Max Darrow, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Graves’ exit has sparked intense speculation about his potential successor to represent Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, which stretches across northern Missouri and touches Kansas City’s Northland.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The story quickly sparked fury among Threads users, with many siding with the original poster and criticizing the seat swap request.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The purpose of a temporary tax rebalancing is not to suppress AI but to encourage its use as a catalyst for a better, more inventive transition.
    Ravi Kumar S, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
  • By mid-month, your network becomes a major catalyst for change.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The decision to inaugurate the first urban Six Senses property in Rome was partially driven by the owner’s love of all things Italian and is part of a new drive to bring sanctuaries to bigger cities.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Objects that are outdoors should be secured and caution should be taken if driving.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • And taking small steps to connect with others — even as simple as engaging in idle chitchat with a stranger — can be an impetus for broader change.
    Keith Wagstaff, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Didn’t even know what the impetus was for the saying.
    Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Bill Greenwood, director of development at Edged, said that the data center’s generators would need to run for about 15 minutes per month for maintenance purposes, in addition to running in case of a major power outage.
    Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Crude oil arriving in Cuba on Monday on a Russian tanker will take almost a month to be turned into diesel needed for transportation, water pumping and backup generators around the country, giving Cubans small relief for a few days, a leading energy expert told the Miami Herald.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Trigger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trigger. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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