trigger
Americannoun
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triggers
plural
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a small projecting tongue in a firearm that, when pressed by the finger, actuates the mechanism that discharges the weapon.
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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)
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triggered,
past participle, past
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triggering
present participle
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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)
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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
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are triggeringprogressive
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is triggeringprogressive
-
have been triggeringperfect progressive
-
has been triggeringperfect progressive
Past
-
triggeredsimple
-
had triggeredperfect
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was triggeringprogressive
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were triggeringprogressive
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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:
If you abandon the deal, you trigger the taxes on the full gain right here, right now.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
It is Bezos's involvement that makes the deal so intriguing and will trigger speculation about the future plans of Liverpool's owners.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Prosecutors aren’t accusing him of pulling the trigger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Researchers found that smiles trigger distinctive activity in specific parts of the canine brain.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
The warnings trigger automated safety systems, forcing elevators to come to a halt and open their doors.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
For immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally, leaving the country or being deported triggers a penalty — many are banned from coming back into the U.S. for a decade.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Possible triggers include growing amounts of meltwater entering the ocean from polar regions as well as global warming itself.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
It’s that saliva that triggers an immune response in humans—and makes us itch long after the mosquito has gone.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
Amendment Five would change the Missouri constitution to require lawmakers to cut income taxes if the state hits certain revenue triggers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
“It could be the pills are delaying your sickness. Even without any pills, it could be you just haven’t met any of your triggers yet.”
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
That triggered a wave of lawsuits by advocates for TPS beneficiaries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The McClellan Oscillator, an indicator developed by McClellan’s parents, is the final criteria necessary to determine whether the Omen triggered or not.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
The Reform UK leader secured 22,239 votes in the by-election he triggered by resigning in July, beating the 9,455 for second-placed Count Binface.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The torrential downpours late Thursday triggered landslide warnings and power outages, with forecasters issuing the highest-level heavy rain warning for the Chiba region for the first time.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
The name triggered a memory, something I hadn’t thought of for years.
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
Many Flores residents have traumatic memories of another 7.7-magnitude quake that hit the island in 1992, triggering a tsunami and killing about 2,500.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Police are now probing how the thieves were able to enter the museum without triggering its alarms and who may have been responsible.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
In the past, North Korean missiles have flown over Japan, triggering sirens, smartphone alerts and special programming on television.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
The industry says an uptick in fraud, driven in part by fake claims enhanced with AI tools, is triggering more denials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
“I think so, but it’s the alarm system the cables are attached to that’s complicated. I doubt I could do it without triggering Black Protocol.”
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Definitions 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.
