triggered: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighInformal to neutral; widely used in everyday speech, psychology, and internet/social media contexts.
Quick answer
What does “triggered” mean?
To cause something to start or happen.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cause something to start or happen; to set off a reaction or process.
To cause a strong emotional reaction, especially anger, distress, or anxiety, often in response to something that recalls a past trauma or sensitive issue.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. The adjective use ('I feel triggered') is slightly more prevalent in US informal/media discourse.
Connotations
In both varieties, the psychological/emotional sense carries connotations of sensitivity, trauma, or overreaction, sometimes used pejoratively in online debates.
Frequency
The emotional/adjective sense is more frequent in contemporary American English, especially in online and youth culture.
Grammar
How to Use “triggered” in a Sentence
[Subject] triggered [Object] (e.g., The noise triggered the alarm).[Subject] was triggered by [Object] (e.g., She was triggered by the loud bang).[Subject] feels triggered (adjective use).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “triggered” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The loud bang triggered the car alarm in the neighbourhood.
- His careless remark triggered a formal complaint.
American English
- The article triggered a huge debate on social media.
- Touching the wire triggered the security system.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used as a standalone adverb) He reacted triggered-ly to the news. (More natural: 'in a triggered way')
American English
- (Rarely used as a standalone adverb) She responded triggered-ly to the comment. (More natural: 'She had a triggered response.')
adjective
British English
- She felt quite triggered after watching that distressing documentary.
- He's very triggered by discussions about his former school.
American English
- Some viewers were triggered by the violent scenes in the movie.
- I get triggered whenever I smell that particular perfume.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The new policy triggered a wave of resignations.
Academic
The study examines which stimuli triggered panic responses in the subjects.
Everyday
That comment really triggered me; it reminded me of a bad argument.
Technical
Pulling the lever triggered the release mechanism.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “triggered”
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “triggered”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “triggered”
- Using 'triggered' to mean simply 'annoyed' (it implies a stronger, more specific reaction).
- Misspelling as 'trigerred'.
- Using it as a noun (e.g., 'I had a trigger' is correct for the cause; 'I had a triggered' is wrong).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, its core meaning is neutral (to start a process). However, its most common contemporary use, especially as an adjective, relates to negative emotional or psychological reactions.
Yes, in its original, neutral sense (e.g., 'triggered a chain reaction'). The psychological/adjective sense is generally considered informal and is best avoided in very formal academic or business reports unless discussing the concept specifically.
'Upset' is a general state of emotional distress. 'Triggered' specifically implies that the distress was caused by a particular stimulus (the 'trigger') that often has a direct link to a past trauma or sensitive issue.
In informal speech, it is common. Purists might argue that 'triggered' is a binary state (something either triggers a reaction or it doesn't), but in practice, phrases like 'really triggered' or 'very triggered' are used to indicate the intensity of the reaction.
To cause something to start or happen.
Triggered: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtrɪɡəd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtrɪɡərd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Hair-trigger temper (ready to be angered easily).”
- “Pull the trigger (to make a decisive action).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TRIGGER on a gun: it starts the firing process. 'Triggered' starts a process or a strong feeling.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL REACTION IS A MECHANICAL RELEASE (e.g., 'His words triggered my anger').
Practice
Quiz
In modern informal use, if someone says 'I'm triggered', what do they most likely mean?