Triggered means: Originally a clinical term for a trauma response; now used loosely to describe someone reacting strongly to something. Has become a culture-war flashpoint, where deploying "triggered" mockingly is. It has drug-related associations; worth a calm conversation about which side of the topic your teen is on. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
triggered
Originally a clinical term for a trauma response; now used loosely (often pejoratively) to describe someone reacting strongly to something.
ˈtrɪɡ.ərdDocumented since 1970s1970sGen XhistoricalCurrent189 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Etymology timeline
Born ~1970 · 1 year of recorded useBoomer / counterculture eraSee decade cohort →
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Wow - now resorting to name calling when you're caught out! Hope you enjoyed being triggered by 'Just another anonymous account...'
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BlueskyMay 2026
Reminder: What triggered Stonewall was the NYPD enforcing anti-trans ordinances that allowed them to arrest anyone who was wearing non-conforming clothing.
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BlueskyMay 2026
🤣😂🤣 I had to shut my cat out of the bedroom during sheets change for YEARS! So triggered by this memory of sheer terrorism!! 🤣😂🤣
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BlueskyMay 2026
Also sorry if I triggered anyone
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BlueskyMay 2026
There is mounting concern that the pursuit of Trump’s agenda has triggered an exodus of experienced prosecutors and hampered Miami’s expertise in building major white collar crime and narcotics trafficking cases.
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Definitions
#1·Apr 26, 2026
Originally a clinical term for a trauma response; now used loosely (often pejoratively) to describe someone reacting strongly to something. Has become a culture-war flashpoint, where deploying "triggered" mockingly is itself politically marked.
See it in action
“Also sorry if I triggered anyone”
“Ppl get triggered when i ask if an image or video is AI”
"You seem triggered."
Origin: "Trigger" in the trauma sense dates to PTSD literature from the 1970s; the dismissive online usage emerged in mid-2010s internet politics.
For parents
Triggered means: Originally a clinical term for a trauma response; now used loosely to describe someone reacting strongly to something. Has become a culture-war flashpoint, where deploying "triggered" mockingly is. It has drug-related associations; worth a calm conversation about which side of the topic your teen is on. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
triggered means: Originally a clinical term for a trauma response; now used loosely to describe someone reacting strongly to something. Has become a culture-war flashpoint, where deploying. Register: very informal, often derogatory or vulgar. Avoid in formal, business, academic, or polite writing. Even in casual speech the word can offend and is best left out of a learner's active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Heard in the wild
“Also sorry if I triggered anyone”
— Bluesky· May 2026“There is mounting concern that the pursuit of Trump’s agenda has triggered an exodus of experienced prosecutors and hampered Miami’s expertise in building major white collar crime and narcotics trafficking cases.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Reform UK’s latest immigration policy – widely condemned as vindictive and divisive – has triggered a fierce backlash across the political spectrum.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Ppl get triggered when i ask if an image or video is AI”
— Bluesky· May 2026“💲 Cointelegraph: XRP's current market structure mirrors a 2025 fractal that previously triggered a 66% asset price surge #XRP #crypto #blockchain”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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#2·Apr 26, 2026
Earnest sense: experiencing a real psychological reaction (anxiety, distress) due to a trigger. Distinguished from the dismissive online sense, but the same word.
Origin: Clinical psychology usage from the 1970s; predates the dismissive internet sense.
Cluster: anxious
Heard in the wild
“Wow - now resorting to name calling when you're caught out! Hope you enjoyed being triggered by 'Just another anonymous account...'”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Reminder: What triggered Stonewall was the NYPD enforcing anti-trans ordinances that allowed them to arrest anyone who was wearing non-conforming clothing.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“🤣😂🤣 I had to shut my cat out of the bedroom during sheets change for YEARS! So triggered by this memory of sheer terrorism!! 🤣😂🤣”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Africa: WHO Leads Response to Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak https://www.europesays.com/africa/219401/ An outbreak of deadly hantavirus aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has triggered an international public…”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Things you learn while out canvassing: ‘I am racist, I am very racist’. Triggered by a photo of the British Asian candidate on the leaflet. #localelections”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🌐About Internet & Memes slang
Viral internet speak — memes, ratios, main-character moments, and the algospeak of every platform from Twitter to Reddit to TikTok comment sections.
See all Internet & Memes slang on Slangora.
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- trigger72%
An event that initiates others, or incites a response.
- trigga66%
AAVE-influenced respelling of "trigger" — often used as a term of address among friends ("my trigga") or as a stylized form of "n***a" replacement in hip-hop lyrics and casual speech.
- hair trigger65%
(metaphor, US) Any unstable situation.
- hot button62%
An emotional trigger; something that arouses strong emotion or opinions.