Sometimes a small failure may trigger a chain of failures that can lead to events that require immediate attention.

All of her therapy has failed her, and apparently the failure triggered a collapse of conscious function.

The supercommittee's failure will trigger automatic cuts in the defence budget and domestic spending.

Under the terms of the workout, failure by any of the insurers would automatically trigger a default on mortgages it backed.

It was feared that its failure would trigger a run on the banks, but the Government stepped in and the taxpayer bailed out the bank.

The failure to report even a trivial sum, such as a single dividend check for, say, $10, might trigger an audit.

From what I understand, the failure of that contract triggered the sale of Nor'easter.

In 1978, this failure triggered a new policy emphasizing smaller complexes.

Its failure, however, triggered runs on even healthy trusts, prompting Morgan to take charge of the rescue operation.

The Russian sub's failure to send its position triggered a desperate search by a dozen Soviet ships.