touchy-feely

adjective

ˌtə-chē-ˈfē-lē 

: characterized by or encouraging interpersonal touching especially in the free expression of emotions

touchy-feely therapy

also : openly or excessively emotional and personal

gets all touchy-feely with his adoring fans

Synonyms

• demonstrative
• effusive
• emotional
• uninhibited
• unreserved
• unrestrained

Examples of touchy-feely in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Carolyn Hax columns about grandparents Perspective Carolyn Hax: How to talk about body autonomy with touchy-feely grandparents Advice Carolyn Hax: Does grandparent get second chance after nut-allergy mistake? —Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

Has any pop star this famous ever spent this much touchy-feely time in their audience? —Chris Richards, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023

While the Reality actress and entrepreneur don’t share much about their relationship—and aren’t super touchy-feely—that doesn’t mean the love isn’t there, right? —Naydeline Mejia, Women's Health, 30 May 2023

There’s a version of this movie that, in some worst-timeline universe, is cloying and toothless, touchy-feely and cute, and drops this revelation in the name of wacky shenanigans before everything is neatly tied up with a nice bright bow. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2023

Not all changes are touchy-feely. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2023

The BugView deserves a place on store shelves next to fly swatters and Raid — not as a touchy-feely, compassionate alternative, but as the right tool for the job most of the time. —Mike Pearl, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above