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
The pyrotechnics facility, located at County Road 23 and County Road 86A in Esparto, exploded around 6 p.m. Tuesday and touched off a 78-acre fire.
—
Jason Green, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
Blackburn's comments touched off speculation among gamblers.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Those air attacks touched off lethal volleys between Iran and Israel.
—Robert Polner, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
An exogenous shock like a war would raise demand and touch off a boom.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for touch off
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Jason Green, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
Blackburn's comments touched off speculation among gamblers.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Those air attacks touched off lethal volleys between Iran and Israel.
—Robert Polner, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
An exogenous shock like a war would raise demand and touch off a boom.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 June 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 29 Jul. 2025.
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