touch

verb \ ˈtəch \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Definition of touch

touched; touching; touches

1 : to bring a bodily part into contact with especially so as to perceive through the tactile sense : handle or feel gently usually with the intent to understand or appreciate

loved to touch the soft silk

2 a : to put hands upon in any way or degree

don't touch anything before the police come

; especially : to commit violence upon

swears he never touched the child

b : to take into the hands or mouth

never touches alcohol

3 : to strike or push lightly especially with the hand or foot or an implement

4 : to cause to be briefly in contact or conjunction with something

touched her spurs to the horse

touched his hand to his hat

5 : to deal with : become involved with

a sticky situation and I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole

6 a (1) : to meet without overlapping or penetrating : adjoin

(2) : to get to : reach

the speedometer needle touched 80

b : to rival in quality or value

nothing can touch that cloth for durability

c : to be tangent to

7 : to speak or tell of especially in passing

barely touched the incident in the speech

8 a : to relate to : concern

b : to have an influence on : affect

9 a : to move to sympathetic feeling

b : to hurt the feelings of : wound

10 a : to leave a mark or impression on

few reagents will touch gold

; also : tinge

b : to harm slightly by or as if by contact : taint, blemish

fruit touched by frost

c : to give a delicate tint, line, or expression to

a smile touched her lips

d : to get a hit off or score a run against

touched him for three runs

11 : to draw or delineate with light strokes

12 : to induce to give or lend

touched him for ten dollars

13 : to lay hands upon (one afflicted with scrofula) with intent to heal

14 archaic

a : to play on (a stringed instrument)

b : to perform (a melody) by playing or singing

intransitive verb

1 a : to feel something with a body part (such as the hand or foot)

b : to lay hand or finger on a person to cure disease (such as scrofula)

2 : to be in contact

3 : to come close : verge

your actions touch on treason

4 a : to treat a topic in a brief or casual manner —used with on or upon

touched upon many points

b : to make a brief or incidental stop on shore during a trip by water

touched at several ports

5 : to have a bearing : relate —used with on or upon

—

touchable

play \ˈtə-chə-bəl\ adjective

—

toucher

noun

— touch base

: to come in contact or communication

coming in from the cold to touch base with civilization
—Carla Hunt

See touch defined for English-language learners

See touch defined for kids

Examples of touch in a Sentence

Please do not touch the statue.
Slowly bend forward and try to touch your toes.
He tried to touch the snake with a stick.
The top of the Christmas tree almost touches the ceiling.
Sparks flew when the wires touched each other.
They were standing side-by-side with their shoulders touching.
Sparks flew when the wires touched.
Their house burned to the ground, but the house next door wasn't touched by the fire.

Recent Examples of touch from the Web

Generally speaking, guidelines would suggest that individuals should not touch the royal family.

— natasha bach, Fortune, "President Trump Will Meet Queen Elizabeth II on Friday. Here's What He Should—and Shouldn't Do," 12 July 2018
Samples taken from Sturgess and Rowley found that the two had been exposed to the nerve agent after touching a contaminated item, police said.

— NBC News, "U.K. man exposed to Novichok is now conscious," 10 July 2018
Here’s the deal: By rule in some circumstances — and by tradition in others — premier venture capital firms don’t touch the industries that prey upon our worst angels.

— theodore schleifer, Recode, "What’s so wrong with Silicon Valley investing in sin?," 9 July 2018
Further tests from Sturgess and Rowley showed that they were exposed to the nerve agent after touching a contaminated item with their hands, police said.

— bart jansen, USA TODAY, "British woman dies after exposure to Russian nerve agent," 8 July 2018
Insert a probe thermometer into the center or thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Ghost Scream’s recipe for Spicy Pulled Pork Mini Sliders," 3 July 2018
For a modernization on the scale of London’s, Byford will need a budget that politicians cannot touch.

— william finnegan, The New Yorker, "Can Andy Byford Save the Subways?," 2 July 2018
The team then reached out to Booker but couldn't touch base.

— scott bordow, azcentral, "Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns to talk contract extension Tuesday," 1 July 2018
Seeing new people and new things... and... [photographer reaches for his glass] Don’t touch my glass.

— bijan stephen, The Verge, "What’s in your bag, Lakeith Stanfield?," 29 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'touch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of touch

Middle English, from Anglo-French tucher, tuchier, from Vulgar Latin *toccare to knock, strike a bell, touch, probably of imitative origin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

touch Synonyms

Synonyms

affect, impact, impress, influence, move, reach, strike, sway, tell (on);

Near Antonyms

bore, jade, pall, tire, weary;

underwhelm;

bias, color;

inspire, stir;

engage, interest, involve, penetrate, pierce;

afflict, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, fluster, harass, harry, perturb, pester, plague, smite, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, wring;

allure, attract, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate;

Phrases

get to;

Synonym Discussion of touch

affect, influence, touch, impress, strike, sway mean to produce or have an effect upon. affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.

- the sight affected her to tears

influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).

- our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

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

impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.

- only one of the plans impressed him

strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.

- struck by the solemnity of the occasion

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

touch

noun

Definition of touch

1 : the act or fact of touching; also : the act or an instance of handling or controlling a ball (as in basketball or soccer)

2 : the special sense by which pressure or traction exerted on the skin or mucous membrane is perceived

3 : a specified sensation that arises in response to stimulation of the tactile receptors : feel

the velvety touch of velour

4 a : a light stroke, tap, or push

b : a hit against an opponent in fencing

5 a : an effective and subtle detail

applies the finishing touches to the story

b : distinctive and often effective manner or method

the touch of a master

c : a characteristic or distinguishing trait or quality

6 : mental or moral sensitiveness, responsiveness, or tact

has a wonderful touch with children

7 : something slight of its kind: such as

a : a light attack

a touch of fever

b : a small quantity or indication : hint

a touch of spring in the air

c : a transient emotion

a momentary touch of compunction

d : a near approach : close call

beaten in the championships by a mere touch

8 : the state or fact of being in contact or communication or of having awareness

lost touch with her cousin

let's keep in touch

out of touch with modern times

9 a : a visible effect : mark

a touch of the tropical sun

b : weakness, defect

10 : control of the hands: such as

a : a manner or method of touching or striking especially the keys of a keyboard instrument

b : ability to precisely control the path and speed of a shot or pass

a great shooting touch

11 : the area outside of the touchlines in soccer or outside of and including the touchlines in rugby

the ball went into touch

12 a : particular action of a keyboard with reference to the resistance of its keys to pressure

piano with a stiff touch

b archaic : the playing of an instrument (such as a lute or piano) with the fingers; also : musical notes or strains so produced

13 a : test, trial —used chiefly in the phrase put to the touch

b archaic : the act of rubbing gold or silver on a touchstone to test its quality

14 : a set of changes in change ringing that is less than a peal

15 slang : an act of soliciting or getting a gift or loan

— a touch

: somewhat, rather

aimed a touch too low and missed

See touch defined for English-language learners

Examples of touch in a Sentence

Blind since birth, she relies on her sense of touch to read braille.
The plate was hot to the touch.

Recent Examples of touch from the Web

On Wednesday afternoon, he was holed up in the lodge in meetings with other executives as Comcast put the finishing touches on its sweetened offer for Sky.

— ben dummett, WSJ, "Comcast Raises Sky Offer After Fox Sweetened Its Bid," 12 July 2018
Xavier men's basketball head coach Travis Steele appeared to put the finishing touches on his coaching staff with the Wednesday announcement of for Musketeers Dante Jackson's hire to fill an assistant coaching role.

— patrick brennan, Cincinnati.com, "Travis Steele adds third assistant to 2018-19 Xavier coaching staff in former Musketeer Dante Jackson," 11 July 2018
The Algerian was spotted at a hospital in Manchester earlier on Tuesday, presumably to put the final touches on his move from Claude Puel's Foxes.

— SI.com, "Man City Target Spotted in Manchester & Undergoes Medical Ahead of Big-Money Transfer," 10 July 2018
By the time Djokovic put the finishing touches on his 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory, a sense of normalcy had returned.

— karen crouse, New York Times, "Wimbledon Has a New Doubles Event: Tennis and the World Cup," 7 July 2018
The North Korean government is reportedly putting the finishing touches on the expansion of a major missile plant just weeks after Kim Jong Un’s summit with President Trump in Singapore.

— edmund demarche, Fox News, "North Korea reportedly expands major missile plant: report," 2 July 2018
The finishing post-shooting touches still were being completed this week.

— julie hinds, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit train station documentary: How Ford, History made it happen," 29 June 2018
For the finishing touches, Jolie added matching gloves, a chain strap clutch, and silver pumps.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Angelina Jolie Attends a Royal Event in London with Duchess-Worthy Style," 28 June 2018
But with plenty of starting-pitching depth ahead of him and his need for more seasoning, Burnes was sent to Colorado Springs to put the finishing touches on his game.

— todd rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Corbin Burnes rolls with the punches," 26 June 2018

First Known Use of touch

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 4a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

touch Synonyms

Synonyms

ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, lick, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, peanuts, ray, scintilla, scruple, shade, shadow, shred, smack, smidgen (also smidgeon), snap, spark, spatter, speck, splash, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, trace;

Near Antonyms

abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad, wealth;

volume;

chunk, hunk, lump, slab;

atom, dot, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, patch, scrap;

dash, drop, pinch;

part, portion, section;

bite, nibble, taste;

handful, scattering, smatter, smattering;

dose, shot;

Phrases

drop in the bucket;

TOUCH Defined for English Language Learners

touch

verb

Definition of touch for English Language Learners

: to put your hand, fingers, etc., on someone or something
: to be in contact with (something)
: to change or move (something)

touch

noun

Definition of touch for English Language Learners

: the act of touching someone or something
: the ability to be aware of something physical by touching it : the sense that allows you to feel physical things
: the quality of a thing that is experienced by feeling or touching it

TOUCH Defined for Kids

touch

verb \ ˈtəch \

Definition of touch for Students

touched; touching

1 : to feel or handle (as with the fingers) especially so as to be aware of

I touched the rabbit's soft fur.

2 : to be or cause to be in contact with something

Lightly touch the paintbrush to your paper.

3 : to hit lightly

Be careful not to touch the walls.

4 : ²harm

No one will dare to touch you.

5 : to make use of

She never touches meat.

6 : to refer to in passing

The report touched upon many topics.

7 : to affect the interest of

This matter touches all of us.

8 : to have an influence on

As a teacher, he touched many lives.

9 : to move emotionally

I was touched by your kindness.

touch

noun

Definition of touch for Students

1 : a light stroke or tap

Stop crying. It was only a touch and couldn't have hurt.

2 : the act or fact of touching or being touched

I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder.

3 : the sense by which light pressure on the skin is felt

The substance is soft to the touch.

4 : an impression gotten through the sense of touch

the soft touch of silk

5 : a state of contact or communication

It is important to keep in touch with friends.

6 : a small amount : trace

a touch of humor

7 : a small detail

We put the finishing touches on the decorations.

Medical Dictionary

touch

transitive verb \ ˈtəch \

medical Definition of touch

: to bring a bodily part into contact with especially so as to perceive through the tactile sense : handle or feel gently usually with the intent to understand or appreciate

intransitive verb

: to feel something with a body part (as the hand or foot)