Trigger
Leaked papers, smoke alarms, and drought years all do the same thing in a news report: start something big with one small pull.
Learn This WordMeaning
To cause something to start suddenly.
Memory trick
A trigger is the smallest pull that fires the biggest mechanism.
Examples
Drought triggered price spikes.
A single leaked paper triggered a full re-examination across the state.
The smoke alarm triggered a midnight evacuation of the hostel.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Dutch trekker "one who pulls," from trekken "to pull." A small pull releases a large mechanism.
Usage Notes
Sudden-onset causation for news-style writing: droughts trigger spikes, leaks trigger probes. Implies speed, not planning.
Real-life contexts
Use in news: "The verdict triggered celebrations downtown."
Use in tech: "The alert triggers a rollback automatically."
Use in essays: "Shortages trigger migration to cities."
Common Mistakes
Trigger means to start, not merely to influence; reserve it for sharp onsets. In sensitive topics prefer neutral verbs like prompt.
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Part of Speech
verb
Difficulty
intermediateMonthly Searches
~55,000
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To describe or portray something precisely; to indicate the exact position or boundaries of something.
Comprehensive
Including or dealing with all or nearly all elements or aspects of something; complete and thorough.