Triggered
Etymology
From psychology, where a trigger is a stimulus that reactivates symptoms of trauma or addiction; "content warnings" grew from this clinical usage. From the mid-2010s the word was widely adopted online as a mocking taunt — "triggered" — aimed, often across political lines, at people seen as overreacting. It is now a contested term whose meaning depends heavily on who is using it.
adjective · /TRIG-urd/
Set off into a strong emotional reaction — in clinical use by a reminder of trauma, in mocking internet use as a taunt for reacting with disproportionate upset.
What it names
It names the two lives of one word: the genuine psychological mechanism by which a cue reactivates trauma, and the online jeer that imitates and belittles that language.
Example
In therapy "triggered" has a precise meaning; online it’s usually just a jeer at someone who got upset.
Related idea
Distinct from simply being offended: the clinical sense of triggered points to an involuntary trauma response, which is part of why its mocking use is criticized.
See also