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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.

That triggered a tit-for-tat contest as both parties raced to squeeze out extra seats before November.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

People in Japan are still scarred by memories of a huge quake in 2011 that triggered a tsunami which killed more than 18,000 people and caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

But by the time she became a mother, Cuba was in the throes of an economic crisis triggered by the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, its main trading partner and benefactor.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Orcel’s move was rebuffed by the target and triggered opposition from unions and from the German government, Commerzbank’s second largest shareholder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Jesper had expected them to rush into the courtyard as soon as he and Wylan triggered 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.