triggered
v.v. to cause a sudden reaction or start a process. You use this when one small event makes something much bigger happen immediately.
v. to initiate a process or cause a sudden, often intense, reaction. Frequently used in psychological contexts to describe the activation of a memory or emotional response.
The smoke from the kitchen triggered the fire alarm.
The sudden drop in stock prices triggered a wave of panic selling across the global markets.
The documentary triggered a national conversation about environmental policy, eventually leading to the passage of several landmark conservation bills.
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. In modern psychological contexts, it is often used in the passive voice ('to be triggered').
The noise triggered to himThe noise triggered himTriggered is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'to' before its object.