Hair-trigger

Pronunciation: /ˈhɛɹ- ˈtɹɪɡɝ/

Hair-trigger (adjective)

  1. quick to react or become angry with little provocation.
  2. describing a device or mechanism that activates with very little force.

Examples

  • His hair-trigger temper made him difficult to work with.
  • The hair-trigger situation required careful handling to avoid conflict.

Common collocations: hair-trigger temper, hair-trigger response, hair-trigger situation, hair-trigger mechanism, hair-trigger switch

Synonyms of Hair-trigger

Neutral

Informal

Antonyms of Hair-trigger

  • describing a mechanism or temperament
  • describing a person's demeanor