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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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:
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
The goal is to trigger a "metabolic reset".
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The researchers found that these actions were neither a trigger nor a barrier to greater public engagement.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
The test gives the AI software that has a known bug in it, shows it how to trigger the bug and invites the AI to break in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Jane, this is sloppy work. Watch your trigger squeeze, girl. An inch isn't such a big deal at close range, but with a rifle that inch becomes several feet.”
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
“What triggers us to sell a stock is seeing fatigue in the fundamental growth profile. You don’t overstay your welcome.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
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
This triggers a process called thermal runaway, where rapidly rising temperatures cause the battery to spontaneously combust.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Depression triggers are terrible bait regardless of whether there’s candy after the tears.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
There were two specific triggers that encouraged Copernicus to come up with something better than the Ptolemaic model.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Among the reviews that have triggered criticism from both companies and residents is the FAA’s environmental analysis of SpaceX’s Starbase development outside Brownsville, Texas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
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
Daniel Day's actions triggered an emergency service response and caused road closures when he scaled the Elizabeth Tower in Westminster on 8 March 2025 causing "serious disruption".
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
But this is unlikely to be a mere coincidence; more likely, the shock wave produced by the supernova compressed interstellar gas and dust and triggered the condensation of the solar system.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Twenty firefighters were taken to hospital after a blaze ripped through an industrial unit and spread to a fertiliser store, triggering a major explosion.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 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
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
OpenAI had just released ChatGPT, triggering a new global race in artificial intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
He’s being treated only by strangers, natives of 13 — no one from home or the Capitol has been allowed to see him — to keep any dangerous memories from triggering.
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.
