trigger
noun
a small projecting tongue in a firearm that, when pressed by the finger, actuates the mechanism that discharges the weapon.
triggering
-
present participleof trigger.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Video games, says Wulf, are notoriously good at triggering nostalgia because gamers can "jump into the same environment".
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
The film, starring Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as grizzled spies on Easter Island in 1973, got a similar reception from gala festival audiences in Venice and Toronto in September, triggering instant Oscar chatter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Before that, a Citrini report envisioning a future where AI progress has led to widespread job losses was widely blamed for triggering a painful but short-lived selloff.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
“I cried yesterday ... it was triggering of Woolsey when we lost our childhood home in the mountains,” Sierka said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
But President Eisenhower had insisted that the nation’s first foray into space be presented as a peaceful effort, rather than an explicitly military operation that risked triggering a dangerous retaliation by the Soviet Union.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
