trigger

noun
UK: /ˈtrɪɡər/
US: /ˈtrɪɡər/

  1. A small device that you pull to fire a gun.

    1. He pulled the trigger and the gun fired at once. [ ] [ ]
    2. The safety catch prevents accidental trigger pulls on this model gun. [ ] [ ]

  2. An event or situation that causes something to start.

    1. The alarm was a trigger to run outside quickly. [ ] [ ]
    2. Rising energy prices acted as the trigger for the recent economic crisis. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

cause initiate release start spring activate
trigger verb

  1. To cause something to start or happen.

    1. Smoke can trigger the fire alarm very fast. [ ] [ ]
    2. Certain foods can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. [ ] [ ]

  2. To cause a device to start working.

    1. Press the button to trigger the camera to take a photo. [ ] [ ]
    2. The sensor will trigger an alarm if anyone enters the restricted area. [ ] [ ]
trigger adjective

  1. Serving as a cause or mechanism that initiates a process.

    1. This is a trigger event, we need to do something. [ ] [ ]
    2. The trigger mechanism for the company's failure was poor management decisions. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "trigger" in English means: A small device that you pull to fire a gun., An event or situation that causes something to start..

The phonetic transcription of "trigger" is /ˈtrɪɡər/ in British English and /ˈtrɪɡər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "trigger": cause, initiate, release, start, spring, activate.

Example usage of "trigger": "He pulled the trigger and the gun fired at once.". More examples on the page.