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Synonyms

triggered

American  
[trig-erd] / ˈtrɪg ərd /

adjective

  1. started, set in motion, or released by a specified thing or in a specified way.

    I saw an article online about obesity-triggered heart disease.

    When any of the cameras detects a motion, the LCD screen displays live video from the triggered camera.

  2. fired or exploded by pulling a trigger or releasing a triggering device.

    One of the triggered missiles blew up in the second level of the building, injuring three people.

  3. having an intense negative emotional reaction to something, usually something connected with past trauma or a bad experience.

    When a stressful social encounter makes me feel triggered and panicky, I try to distance myself from the situation.

    Consider using a triggered state, such as anger or anxiety, as a signal to yourself to pause and relax.

verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of trigger.

Other Word Forms

  • untriggered adjective

Etymology

Origin of triggered

trigger ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

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.

"In our situation, we assume that the shift in membrane composition is triggered by hyperactivity of the affected neurons due to Alzheimer's disease. That is, these neurons exhibit abnormal firing."

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

This tinder caught fire when food prices spiked again in 2010, triggered by a historic Russian drought that wiped out a third of the country’s wheat harvest.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

It is understood the three-year contract Arteta signed in 2024 is worth £10m a season plus a further £5m triggered by Champions League qualification.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said the hike in jet fuel prices triggered by the conflict in Iran could put some airlines out of business.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

He later described it as “a nuclear bit of e-mail,” given the chain of events it subsequently triggered.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

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.