touch 1 of 2

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as in to affect
to be the business or affair of I don't think this decision touches you, so butt out

Synonyms & Similar Words

touch

2 of 2

noun

1
as in contact
the state or fact of being able to exchange information regarding one's current situation everyone promised to keep in touch over the summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in hint
an almost imperceptible sign of something a touch of irritation tinged his voice as the candidate fielded yet another question about his personal finances

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb touch differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of touch are affect, impress, influence, strike, and sway. While all these words mean "to produce or have an effect upon," touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming.

plants touched by frost
his emotions were touched by her distress

When can affect be used instead of touch?

The words affect and touch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.

the sight affected her to tears

Where would impress be a reasonable alternative to touch?

The meanings of impress and touch largely overlap; however, impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.

only one of the plans impressed him

When could influence be used to replace touch?

The synonyms influence and touch are sometimes interchangeable, but influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).

our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

When is strike a more appropriate choice than touch?

While in some cases nearly identical to touch, strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.

struck by the solemnity of the occasion

When is it sensible to use sway instead of touch?

Although the words sway and touch have much in common, sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action.

politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of touch
Verb
From the engagement ring to the cake, chairs, florals and the dress, all these items are touched by tariffs. Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025 But that’s another thing about the book that the film touches on, where Shelley gets much more at the ways in which [Victor] is lying to himself as well as to everybody else. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
Cremini mushrooms and fresh thyme add their delicate touch to a hunger-satisfying, creamy dish. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025 Many still view them as out of touch, too socially liberal and lacking an understanding of how bread-and-butter economic issues affect ordinary Americans. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for touch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch
Verb
  • And among the less conversationally direct, the topic often seems to lurk on the fringes as locals in other countries try to more delicately approach politics and discern how US travelers feel about what’s going on at home.
    Terry Ward, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Specific details of conversations remain unclear, but the meeting suggests that Comcast feels that there is still a path forward for a deal, in spite of concerns — aired in the press — about the likelihood of regulatory troubles in the US.
    Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • If this trend continues, the GOP could see losses in the November 2026 midterms, thus affecting the balance of power in Congress and the party's ability to influence key policies and legislation.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • This car is a rolling research platform, validating materials and aero solutions that will influence future hypercar engineering.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The lawsuit seeks restitution, punitive damages, and a court order requiring Spotify to disclose whether Discovery Mode is tainted by money or royalty deals.
    Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2025
  • In November 2024, an American citizen was among six tourists who died in Laos, where alcohol tainted with methanol was blamed for poisoning them.
    Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Even as federal funding resumes, local colleges, businesses and nonprofits are joining county agencies in maintaining relief efforts for as long as Sacramento-area residents need them.
    Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2025
  • In 2017, Nepal joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s vast infrastructure investment program.
    MUHIB RAHMAN, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • So what happens if your flight is affected?
    Rob Wile, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2025
  • But the one part MLB can’t affect is where NCAA sports are in general.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The redshirt sophomore slowed up to force contact with a trailing Ewin near midcourt and later flung his body on Ewin’s screen for an offensive whistle.
    Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Since then, reports of atrocities have emerged from the city, with a communications blackout rendering contact with the outside world almost impossible.
    Guy Davies, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • This ruling is a big splash as NASCAR and plaintiff teams 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports gear up for trial in Charlotte to punctuate a lawsuit in which 23XI and FRM assert that NASCAR is a monopoly.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The trade deadline came and went for the Detroit Lions, and for a team that isn’t known for making in-season splashes, this was par for the course.
    Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Tesla has implemented autopilot and self-driving features on its vehicles that include traffic-aware cruise control, semi-autonomous navigation, response to traffic lights and the ability to summon the car from a parking space.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Best known for her acting roles in Friends, Cougar Town and the Scream franchise, behind the camera, Cox has directed across various genres and mediums, from music videos, and short form projects to television and feature films.
    Justin Kroll, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Touch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.

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