What does "trigger" mean?
A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.
Trigger
/ˈtɹɪɡə/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.
- Grammar: trigger is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: actioning, activate, activate, activate system.
- Useful contrasts: calm, calmness, deactivate.
- Usage evidence: The man put the gun against his forehead and squeezed the trigger.
How to use "trigger"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "trigger" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "trigger" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "trigger" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "trigger" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "trigger" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "actioning" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "trigger", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.
"Just pull the trigger."
- 2 an act that sets in motion some course of events wordnet
- 3 A similar device used to activate any mechanism.
- 4 lever that activates the firing mechanism of a gun wordnet
- 5 An event that initiates others, or incites a response.
"Sleeping in an unfamiliar room can be a trigger for sleepwalking."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 a device that activates or releases or causes something to happen wordnet
- 7 A concept or image that upsets somebody by sparking a negative emotional response.
"emotional trigger"
- 8 An event, experience or other stimulus that initiates a traumatic memory or a strong reaction in a person.
- 9 An electronic transducer allowing a drum, cymbal, etc. to control an electronic drum unit or similar device.
- 10 A device that manually lengthens (or sometimes shortens) the slide or tubing of a brass instrument, allowing the pitch range to be altered while playing.
- 11 A pulse in an electronic circuit that initiates some component.
- 12 An SQL procedure that may be initiated when a record is inserted, updated or deleted; typically used to maintain referential integrity.
- 13 A catch to hold the wheel of a carriage on a declivity. archaic
- 14 An argument whose semantic role determines the choice of a verbal affix, in certain Austronesian languages.
Verb
- 1 To fire (a weapon). transitive
"A U235 bomb would therefore need to incorporate a gun weighing ten tons. Then there was the question of initiating or triggering the bomb."
- 2 release or pull the trigger on wordnet
- 3 To cause, to precipitate, to bring (something) about in response or as a result. transitive
"The controversial article triggered a deluge of angry letters from readers."
- 4 put in motion or move to act wordnet
- 5 To spark a response, especially a negative emotional response, in (a person). figuratively, transitive
"This story contains a rape scene and may be triggering for rape victims."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To activate; to become active. especially, intransitive
"Sodium nitrite (750 ppm) was added after the alarm triggered at three hours, and corrosion did not occur for over eight hours."
Adjective
- 1 comparative form of trig: more trig comparative, form-of
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The man put the gun against his forehead and squeezed the trigger."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "trigger"?
Common synonyms include: actioning, activate, activate, activate system, activate timer, activated.
How do you use "trigger" in a sentence?
The man put the gun against his forehead and squeezed the trigger.
How do you pronounce "trigger"?
Pronounced /ˈtɹɪɡə/.
Etymology
Originally tricker, from Dutch trekker (“pull”, noun, as in drawer-pull, bell-pull), from Dutch trekken (“to drag, draw, pull”).