trigger warning

American  

[trig-er wawr-ning] / ˈtrɪg ər ˌwɔr nɪŋ /

noun

1. a stated warning that the content of the immediately following text, video, etc., may cause distressing psychological or physiological reactions, especially in people who have previously experienced a related trauma: TW

   The header line of the blog post contains a trigger warning for rape.

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Etymology

Origin of trigger warning

First recorded in 1990–95; trigger ( def. ) (in the sense “something that stimulates or initiates”)

Example Sentences

Maddie's first TikTok video about baby loss - which she posted with a trigger warning - shows her and her husband in the Blossom Suite, gently swaying with Teddy while tears stream down their faces.

From BBC • Dec. 23, 2025

What's the harm, then, in including a trigger warning?

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2024

It’s a frightful and gargantuan performance that should come with a trigger warning.

From New York Times • Feb. 29, 2024

That mention of JP should have come with a trigger warning.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2023

A student who attended the class — who was president of Hamline’s Muslim Student Association — complained to the university, saying the trigger warning didn’t define what image would be shown.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2023