had triggered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had triggered" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that an event or action caused something to happen in the past, often in a narrative or descriptive context. Example: "The unexpected news had triggered a wave of emotions among the team, leading to a heated discussion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

I had triggered someone's fear again.

The Guardian

Orbán's remarks had triggered an international outcry.

The Guardian

The attempt had triggered increased monitoring of her room.

The Guardian

That pitch had triggered headshaking from Lennon before kick-off.

The Guardian - Sport

Big bang had triggered an even bigger bang.

The Guardian

Even before Monday, the subject had triggered many more backbench rebellions than any other.

The Guardian - Opinion

But he did not say what exactly had triggered his decision to leave the governor's race.

The New York Times

Motor industry leaders said higher investment had triggered the strong result.

The Guardian - Business

The actor also said the experience of the shoot had triggered a personal crisis of faith.

The Guardian - Film

The news generated by the publication of the D.N.C. e-mails had triggered the change.

The New Yorker

The newspaper's report had triggered a wave of public outrage over the shourong system.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had triggered" when you want to emphasize that a specific event or action directly caused another to occur. Ensure the connection between cause and effect is clear.

Common error

Avoid using "had triggered" for simple cause-and-effect scenarios where a more straightforward verb like "caused" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had triggered" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, indicating that an action caused something to happen before a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase indicates that something caused a specific reaction or event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

22%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had triggered" is a versatile verb phrase in the past perfect tense, commonly used to indicate a causal relationship between two past events. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and frequently employed across various domains. It is considered neutral in register and is most often found in "News & Media" and scientific contexts. When using "had triggered", ensure clarity in the cause-and-effect relationship, and avoid overuse in simpler causal scenarios. Alternatives like "had caused" or "had prompted" can be used for variety. The multiple examples that Ludwig AI delivers effectively illustrate different usage scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had caused

A more direct and general way of expressing causation.

had initiated

Focuses on the beginning or starting point of an action or event.

had prompted

Suggests a slightly more subtle form of causation, implying encouragement or motivation.

had sparked

Implies a sudden or dramatic beginning, often with energy or excitement.

had generated

Focuses on the creation or production of something as a result.

had led to

Emphasizes the sequence of events and the eventual outcome.

had set off

Similar to "sparked", but can also imply a chain reaction.

had brought about

A more formal way of saying "had caused", emphasizing the result.

had given rise to

Suggests a more gradual or organic development as a result.

had resulted in

Directly states the outcome or consequence of an action.

FAQs

How can I use "had triggered" in a sentence?

Use "had triggered" to indicate that something caused a specific reaction or event. For instance, "The alarm "had triggered" a lockdown."

What can I say instead of "had triggered"?

You can use alternatives like "had caused", "had prompted", or "had initiated" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "had triggered" or "triggered"?

"Had triggered" is used in the past perfect tense, indicating an action completed before another point in the past. "Triggered" is simple past tense. For example: "The event "had triggered" a response before we could react" versus "The event triggered a response."

What's the difference between "had triggered" and "resulted in"?

"Had triggered" emphasizes the action that caused something, while "resulted in" emphasizes the outcome. For example: "The protest had triggered a change in policy" versus "The protest resulted in a change in policy."