trigger

trigger — noun

1. the small curved piece of metal on a gun that you press with your finger to make

1.nounB1
Definition

the small curved piece of metal on a gun that you press with your finger to make the weapon fire

Example

Obi pressed the trigger slowly, and the rifle fired with a loud bang.

press/pull/squeeze the trigger — verb + trigger collocations

The security guard kept his finger on the trigger as he searched the dark room.

finger on the trigger — idiom showing readiness

Common collocations
  • pull the trigger
  • squeeze the trigger
  • press the trigger
  • finger on the trigger
  • trigger lock
  • trigger guard
Synonyms
  • catch

    technical term for a part that releases a mechanism, but not used in everyday gun contexts

  • lever

    a more general term for a bar moved to operate a device; less specific than 'trigger'

Grammar Patterns

pull/squeeze/press + trigger

Usage Note

This noun sense appears in common fixed phrases: pull the trigger, squeeze the trigger, and press the trigger. The word trigger alone can also form compound nouns such as trigger lock (a safety device) and trigger finger (the finger used to fire).

Common Mistakes

I pulled the trigger of the door.
I pulled the trigger of the gun.
'trigger' refers specifically to the firing mechanism of a weapon, not a door handle.
I triggered the gun.
I pulled the trigger of the gun.
The verb 'trigger' (sense verb/1) means to start something; for the physical action on a gun, use 'pull/squeeze/press the trigger.'

2. an event, situation, or piece of information that directly causes a series of de

2.nounB2
Definition

an event, situation, or piece of information that directly causes a series of developments or a chain of actions to begin

Example

The sudden rise in oil prices was the trigger for a global economic slowdown.

be the trigger for [event] — noun pattern showing causation

Shirin's careless remark became the trigger for a bitter argument between the two families.

Common collocations
  • trigger for
  • trigger of
  • serve as a trigger
  • be the trigger
  • immediate trigger
  • direct trigger
Synonyms
  • cause

    more general and neutral; a cause can be indirect, while a trigger is the immediate starting point

  • catalyst

    implies speeding up an existing process rather than starting it from scratch; more formal

  • spark

    suggests a small event that starts something large, often conflict or change

Antonyms
  • consequence

    the result that follows the starting event

  • effect

    what happens after the trigger sets things in motion

Grammar Patterns

trigger for [event]

trigger of [event]

serve as a trigger

Usage Note

The most common prepositional pattern is trigger for [outcome], though trigger of is also used, especially in formal or scientific writing. The phrase serve as a trigger is a formal alternative to 'be the trigger.' Unlike sense 3 (TRAUMA REMINDER), this sense does not carry a psychological or emotional connotation.

Common Mistakes

The rain was the trigger of the flood.' (grammatically acceptable but rare)
The heavy rain was the trigger for the flood.
'trigger for' is the standard prepositional pattern in everyday use.
His words triggered out a fight.
His words were the trigger for a fight.
Do not add 'out' to 'trigger.' Use the correct noun pattern 'be the trigger for.'

3. something in the present surroundings — such as a smell, sound, image, or situat

3.nounB2
Definition

something in the present surroundings — such as a smell, sound, image, or situation — that causes a person to suddenly experience a painful memory or strong emotional distress linked to past trauma

Example

For Isabela, rain was a trigger that brought back memories of a serious crash.

trigger that + verb — showing immediate psychological reaction

The therapist asked Aoi to list her personal triggers so they could work on each.

personal triggers / emotional triggers — common compound noun in therapy

Common collocations
  • trigger for
  • personal trigger
  • emotional trigger
  • trauma trigger
  • trigger warning
  • triggered by
Synonyms
  • reminder

    gentler and more general; does not carry the clinical weight of 'trigger'

  • cue

    used in psychology for any stimulus that prompts a response, positive or negative

Grammar Patterns

trigger for [person]

personal trigger

emotional trigger

Usage Note

This sense is common in clinical psychology and trauma-informed care. The phrase personal triggers or my triggers is used to describe an individual's specific sensitivities. Unlike sense 2 (STARTING CAUSE), this sense exclusively describes emotional or psychological responses connected to past trauma. Be aware that in everyday conversation some speakers use trigger loosely for anything that annoys them, but the precise meaning remains tied to trauma recall.

Common Mistakes

The bad weather was a trigger for my headache.
The bad weather was a trigger for my migraine.
For physical symptoms, 'trigger' is acceptable in medical contexts, but for psychological trauma, the trigger must connect to a past negative experience.
He has many triggers, like people who chew loudly.
He has many triggers, like the sound of helicopter blades, because he served in a war zone.
The trigger must be linked to a specific past trauma, not just any annoyance.

trigger — verb

Word family

  • triggered
    adjectiveB2
  • triggering
    adjectiveB2
  • trigger-happy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe making something happen, but they differ in intensity, suddenness, and connotation. Cause is the most general and neutral word — you can cause a problem, a change, or a reaction without any implication of speed or force. Trigger adds the idea of sudden onset, like a mechanism being released; it fits contexts where something was latent or inactive and springs into action immediately. Spark suggests a small, quick beginning that grows into something larger, often used with conflict or emotion (spark a debate, spark interest). Set off is a phrasal verb similar to trigger but slightly more informal and common with alarms, bombs, or chain reactions (set off a panic, set off a protest). Provoke implies that the result is an emotional or hostile response, often deliberately caused (provoke anger, provoke a fight). Use trigger when you want the mechanical or medical sense of instant activation; use cause for general statements; use spark for figurative beginnings; use set off in everyday speech; use provoke when a deliberate emotional reaction is involved.

cause ↗spark ↗set off ↗provoke ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

DutchEnglish

The word 'trigger' comes from the Dutch word 'trekker', meaning 'that which pulls', from the verb 'trekken' (to pull). In the 1600s, it entered English as a term for the small lever that releases a gun's firing mechanism. The metaphorical sense — something that starts a chain of events — began appearing in the early 1900s. The psychological sense, referring to stimuli that recall trauma, became widely used in the late 20th century with the rise of trauma-informed psychology.