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
In Bangkok, Thailand, almost 900 miles from the earthquake's epicenter, a high rise building collapsed, killing at least three people and touching off a search for 81 workers believed to be trapped in the rubble, Defense Minister Phumtham told reporters.
—
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
That set up Queen’s heroics that touched off a raucous celebration.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
The rare rebuke of the central bank by Trump came weeks after his tariffs touched off a global trade war that sent stocks reeling and triggered concern about a possible recession.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2025
The motion reiterated many of the points that had touched off a legal and political firestorm, arguing the criminal prosecution should be tossed so Adams could better work on immigration initiatives at the heart of Trump’s policy agenda.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
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Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
That set up Queen’s heroics that touched off a raucous celebration.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
The rare rebuke of the central bank by Trump came weeks after his tariffs touched off a global trade war that sent stocks reeling and triggered concern about a possible recession.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2025
The motion reiterated many of the points that had touched off a legal and political firestorm, arguing the criminal prosecution should be tossed so Adams could better work on immigration initiatives at the heart of Trump’s policy agenda.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 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 22 Apr. 2025.
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