ticklish

adjective

tick·​lish ˈti-k(ə-)lish How to pronounce ticklish (audio)
1
: sensitive to tickling
2
: requiring delicate handling
a ticklish subject
3
a
: touchy, oversensitive
ticklish about his baldness
b
: easily overturned
a canoe is a ticklish craft
ticklishly adverb
ticklishness noun

Examples of ticklish in a Sentence

My feet are very ticklish. he's ticklish about his looks, so it's wisest to avoid the subject altogether
Recent Examples on the Web From celebrities to brands and many other users across the platform, folks chimed in to share their despair with Hollywood’s most ticklish friend. Ryan Fish, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 In practice, the last of these—which sounds tame, and which refers to the number of people who will be affected by the act—is probably the most morally ticklish, as any secondhand smoker can confirm. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023 This is a ticklish subject, to be sure. Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 6 Oct. 2022 What keeps Sandy from jumping turns out to be one of Row’s cleverest, most ticklish plot devices. John Domini, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2023 These flip-flops just feel good — if your feet aren't ticklish, that is. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2023 The reason some areas of our bodies are more ticklish than others is unknown, as well. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2016 The subjects also rated how ticklish each touch was. Max G. Levy, WIRED, 6 Oct. 2022 The truth about smell seems to ambush and retreat, materialize and dissipate, like lilacs on a ticklish June breeze, or the ghost of yesterday’s stir-fry. Abigail Tucker, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ticklish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ticklish was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near ticklish

Cite this Entry

“Ticklish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ticklish. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ticklish

adjective
tick·​lish ˈtik-(ə-)lish How to pronounce ticklish (audio)
1
: sensitive to tickling
2
: touchy sense 1
ticklish about his baldness
3
: requiring delicate handling
a ticklish subject
ticklishly adverb
ticklishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ticklish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!