trigger
Americannoun
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a small projecting tongue in a firearm that, when pressed by the finger, actuates the mechanism that discharges the weapon.
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a device, as a lever, the pulling or pressing of which releases a catch or spring.
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anything, as an act or event, that serves as a stimulus and initiates or precipitates a reaction or series of reactions.
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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.
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Slang. triggerman.
verb (used with object)
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to initiate or precipitate (a chain of events, scientific reaction, psychological process, etc.).
Their small protest triggered a mass demonstration.
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to fire or explode (a gun, missile, etc.) by pulling a trigger or releasing a triggering device.
He accidentally triggered his rifle.
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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)
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to release a trigger.
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to become active; activate.
idioms
noun
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a small projecting lever that activates the firing mechanism of a firearm
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machinery a device that releases a spring-loaded mechanism or a similar arrangement
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any event that sets a course of action in motion
verb
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(usually foll by off) to give rise (to); set off
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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
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triggersimple
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triggerssimple
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have triggeredperfect
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has triggeredperfect
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am triggeringprogressive
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are triggeringprogressive
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is triggeringprogressive
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have been triggeringperfect progressive
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has been triggeringperfect progressive
Past
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triggeredsimple
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had triggeredperfect
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was triggeringprogressive
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were triggeringprogressive
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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
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"Fears and Phobias"
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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:
Michelin’s shares have outperformed those of peers Continental and Pirelli, and the results might not be enough to trigger a positive market reaction, according to Bernstein.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
But equally, a delayed response or a friend failing to follow through on plans can trigger subtle stress responses in the nervous system.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
It only occurred to me recently that Sarandon was 44 years old when she played Louise, the pal who pulled the trigger.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
Traders sold U.S. government bonds on concerns that higher energy costs could lift inflation and trigger the Fed to take action on interest rates perhaps sooner than previously expected.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026
Remarkably, under current law, an actual conviction or finding of a formal violation is not necessary to trigger exclusion.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The key point to take away from a death like Jeremy's, Van Nunen says, is that 94.8% of people who die from food allergy anaphylaxis die because it triggers their asthma.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Depression triggers are terrible bait regardless of whether there’s candy after the tears.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
This triggers the belief that Lena is a woman who went missing 13 years before.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Insufficient liquidity to meet obligations triggers financial distress.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
Each of these, on some level, triggers tiny rewards.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
At least now I know what triggered the unexpected medical bill and what to ask before scheduling the test next year.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Harris's rage appeared to be sparked by Shipton's accidentally pressing her emergency alarm, which triggered a phone call to a crisis response helpline.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Consumer prices rose 3.34 percent in June, and growing economic strain triggered protests by students demanding the government stop excessive spending, including on its billion-dollar free-meals scheme, which has since been cut back.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Using these results, the team reconstructed the development of each tumor, beginning with the original mutation that triggered the cancer.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
Without any of the hornets realizing it, she triggered a nest attack on me.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture in southern Japan on Tuesday, triggering rescue operations and safety protocols.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Hundreds of small businesses saw their inventories wiped out in the strike, triggering angry comments on social media.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Announcing her departure on the social media platform X, external, Fleet said: "Honour of lifetime to be minister for safeguarding. Quickly found contents overwhelmingly triggering."
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Your unpredictable income could create lower-tax years to release IRA funds, reducing your required minimum distributions without triggering a massive tax bill.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
“In fact, I’m surprised they’ve kept it going so long. The Capitol will adjust by deactivating specific pods and then manually triggering them when their targets come in range.”
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
