trigger
Americannoun
-
triggers
plural
-
a small projecting tongue in a firearm that, when pressed by the finger, actuates the mechanism that discharges the weapon.
-
a device, as a lever, the pulling or pressing of which releases a catch or spring.
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anything, as an act or event, that serves as a stimulus and initiates or precipitates a reaction or series of reactions.
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something that evokes the memory of a traumatic experience, setting off an intense negative emotional reaction.
This issue of the magazine contains accounts of sexual assault, and may be a trigger for some people.
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Slang. triggerman.
verb (used with object)
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triggers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
triggered,
past participle, past
-
triggering
present participle
-
to initiate or precipitate (a chain of events, scientific reaction, psychological process, etc.).
Their small protest triggered a mass demonstration.
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to fire or explode (a gun, missile, etc.) by pulling a trigger or releasing a triggering device.
He accidentally triggered his rifle.
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to set off a negative emotional reaction in (someone), as by evoking the memory of a traumatic experience, repeatedly raising a sensitive issue, etc..
I missed seeing my mom in the ICU before she died, and imagining her there triggers me every time I see ICU footage on TV.
verb (used without object)
-
triggers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
triggered,
past participle, past
-
triggering
present participle
-
to release a trigger.
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to become active; activate.
idioms
noun
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a small projecting lever that activates the firing mechanism of a firearm
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machinery a device that releases a spring-loaded mechanism or a similar arrangement
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any event that sets a course of action in motion
verb
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(usually foll by off) to give rise (to); set off
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to fire or set in motion by or as by pulling a trigger
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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triggersimple
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triggerssimple
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have triggeredperfect
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has triggeredperfect
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am triggeringprogressive
-
are triggeringprogressive
-
is triggeringprogressive
-
have been triggeringperfect progressive
-
has been triggeringperfect progressive
Past
-
triggeredsimple
-
had triggeredperfect
-
was triggeringprogressive
-
were triggeringprogressive
-
had been triggeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of trigger
First recorded in 1615–25; earlier tricker, from Dutch trekker, equivalent to trekk(en) “to pull” + -er -er 1
Explanation
A trigger is a metal lever that when pulled discharges a gun. You shoot the gun by pulling the trigger. Trigger can also mean the start of a process––violent protests might trigger a revolution. Certain scents, places, or old love songs can be said to trigger, or activate, memories. If you get weepy when you hear the national anthem, that may be because it triggers thoughts of family, home, baseball and the Fourth of July. For someone in frail health, a seemingly minor problem like getting a common cold, might trigger a series of physical responses that end up landing them in the hospital.
Vocabulary lists containing trigger
"Fears and Phobias," Vocabulary from the article
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But if AI disappoints, a bust could trigger a sharp economic pullback, hitting rich and poor nations alike.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
They pointed out that if the amount of water flowing into Lake Mead decreases further, it will trigger the state’s right to sue its upriver neighbors for a violation of the compact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Under the right conditions, those neutrons trigger further fission reactions, creating a sustained chain reaction.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Beth Dobbin is so determined to raise awareness of the illness that has decimated her life that she is speaking out, despite knowing it could trigger a brutal deterioration in her health.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Patients with the most acute form of the disease can trigger an episode by simply thinking about their romantic interest.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
Initially refusing Medicare and applying later, or canceling and reapplying, triggers a late-enrollment penalty.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
“The coming days will be important in determining whether the move triggers a continued short-covering rally,” he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
"This study offers a framework for understanding how different triggers can converge to cause the exact same profound clinical exhaustion."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
It activates dopamine, the neurotransmitter in the brain that triggers a feeling of relaxation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Then we’re to stand behind an image of our choice and talk briefly about the topics the picture triggers in us.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
The seeds of some shrub species, like California lilac, are triggered to start growing by the heat of fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
One possibility is that adjusting DEAF1 activity could reproduce some of the molecular changes normally triggered by physical activity.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Nor has it factored in players who may feel they have missed out on salary increases, or triggered payments, for how their club might have performed.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
This cohort kept “buying the dip” even during April 2025, when a global trade war rattled professional investors and triggered a deep selloff.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
I mean, we’d triggered a warning boom when we snuck inside.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
The Norte fire in south Orange County broke out amid strong Santa Ana winds on Friday morning, triggering mandatory evacuations in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
The benchmark index had opened 8% lower, triggering a temporary halt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
In some versions, a catastrophic event occurred in the past, triggering society’s collapse.”
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026
The investment frenzy is also triggering a wave of consolidation as larger players aim to purchase strategic assets.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
He’s being treated only by strangers, natives of 13 — no one from home or the Capitol has been allowed to see him — to keep any dangerous memories from triggering.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
