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trigger warning

American

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

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of trigger warning

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

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.

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

Upon reading the initial reports that the trigger warning had accompanied the trailer, I was pleasantly surprised.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2024

New batteries can trigger warning messages, replacement screens can disable a phone’s brightness settings, and substitute selfie cameras can malfunction.

From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2023

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

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2023

She also reportedly gave a trigger warning before the lesson in which the image was shown.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023