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.
-
anything, as an act or event, that serves as a stimulus and initiates or precipitates a reaction or series of reactions.
-
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.
-
Slang. triggerman.
verb (used with object)
-
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.
-
to fire or explode (a gun, missile, etc.) by pulling a trigger or releasing a triggering device.
He accidentally triggered his rifle.
-
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.
-
to become active; activate.
idioms
noun
-
a small projecting lever that activates the firing mechanism of a firearm
-
machinery a device that releases a spring-loaded mechanism or a similar arrangement
-
any event that sets a course of action in motion
verb
-
(usually foll by off) to give rise (to); set off
-
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
-
triggersimple
-
triggerssimple
-
have triggeredperfect
-
has triggeredperfect
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Fears and Phobias"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Word Generation Weekly - Series 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Hertz seemingly was trying to convince the court that Bianco legally could pull his shenanigans as long as he didn’t actually find criminal wrongdoing, which would trigger a different set of rules.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Pupils who answer yes to certain questions automatically trigger a high-risk rating, such as whether they worry they might run away or be asked to leave home in the next year.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Do we think Ossoff meant to trigger the firestorm he did?
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
By boosting income, these withdrawals can reduce tax breaks and trigger tax increases based on income.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
They’re making sure the virus will trigger in each location, that no security shields can stop them.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
The airport has now filed a Pre Application Notice, which triggers a public consultation ahead of a full planning application which is likely to be made later this year.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
There is less consensus on whether climate change itself triggers stronger El Ninos, though evidence for this is emerging.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 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
Once the audience gets past their disorientation, the slapstick triggers enough silly goodwill that my auditorium squeezed out generous spurts of applause.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
He didn’t use his teeth to tear the apples from the triggers.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
O'Neill was not in charge for that defeat in Kazakhstan a year ago as it triggered the start of the end for Brendan Rodgers' second spell at Celtic Park.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
That triggered a stampede of fans trying to leave the stadium after many thought it was a gunshot, San Pedro coach Corey Walsh said Saturday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
"That tells us the damage is not irreversible, and that there may be a window for intervention even after disease processes have been triggered."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
That triggered 50-percent US tariffs impacting some $20 billion worth of goods, from hockey sticks to cement, effective Saturday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Instead, it was triggered there by the arrival of Southwest Asian domesticates.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Moldova also said a Shahed-style drone -- used by Russia -- crashed on its territory, triggering a fire near the border with Ukraine.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Evergrande's implosion has often been blamed for triggering a broader slump in China's property market that continues to weigh heavily on the economy.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
This is the future of AI: a gradual adoption process that works through its problems and integrates into society without triggering economic apocalypse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Another worry is that any effort to cap Treasury yields could backfire by triggering a selloff in corporate bonds.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
At the periphery, interstellar matter is compressed by the supernova shock wave, triggering new generations of cloud collapse and star formation.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
