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Meaning & use

trigger

verb, noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈtrɪɡə/
US/ˈtrɪɡər/

Meanings

  1. verbtransitive

    To cause something to start or happen, often suddenly.

    Grammar: Takes an object: trigger an alarm; often followed by off: trigger off a reaction.

    Patterns

    • trigger something
    • trigger something off

    The announcement triggered a wave of protests.

    Burnt toast can trigger the smoke alarm.

    Pollen triggers her allergies every spring.

  2. verbtransitiveinformal

    To make someone feel a sudden, strong and painful emotion, often by recalling a bad memory.

    Grammar: Often passive, informal: she was triggered by the news.

    Patterns

    • be triggered by something

    The smell of smoke triggered painful memories.

    Some movie scenes may trigger viewers who have lost someone.

    He was triggered by the loud noise.

  3. nouncountable

    The small lever pulled with a finger to fire a gun or start a device.

    Grammar: Often with pull or squeeze: pull the trigger.

    Patterns

    • pull the trigger

    The officer kept her finger off the trigger.

    He pulled the trigger and the camera flashed.

    The drill has a variable-speed trigger.

  4. nouncountable

    An event or thing that sets off a reaction or a chain of events.

    Grammar: Often followed by for: a trigger for headaches.

    Patterns

    • a trigger for something
    • a trigger of something

    Stress is a common trigger for migraines.

    The arrest was the trigger for the riots.

    Doctors help patients identify their food triggers.

Word forms

third person singulartriggers
past tensetriggered
past participletriggered
-ing formtriggering
pluraltriggers

Common combinations

trigger an alarm
Opening the door will trigger an alarm.
trigger a reaction
Peanuts can trigger a severe reaction.
trigger warning
The article carries a trigger warning.
pull the trigger
After months of debate, the board pulled the trigger on the deal.
trigger memories
Old songs can trigger memories.
trigger point
The therapist pressed a trigger point in his back.

Synonyms and how they differ

cause
The general word; trigger stresses something that sets a process off, often suddenly.
spark
Suggests a small event igniting a bigger one, and is often used for conflicts.
set off
A phrasal verb that is more informal and common in speech.
provoke
Implies deliberately stirring up anger or a reaction in a person.

Opposites

preventstop

Word family

triggered adjective
informal, feeling a sudden painful emotional reaction
trigger-happy adjective
too ready to shoot or take drastic action
triggering adjective
likely to set off a reaction

Commonly confused: trigger or cause?

trigger vs cause

A cause can be any reason for an effect; a trigger is the specific event that starts it.

Practice

The loud bang ____ the car alarm, and it began to wail.

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