ticklish

adjective

ˈti-k(ə-)lish How to pronounce ticklish (audio)
Definition of ticklishnext
1
as in sensitive
easily offended he's ticklish about his looks, so it's wisest to avoid the subject altogether

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling trying to tell him that his zipper is down without embarrassing him will be a ticklish task

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ticklish There’s a ticklish elusiveness to the portraits of Blume’s husbands in the book, and to those of her kids, Randy and Larry, as well. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2026 Transporting the patient 12 miles to Hartford Hospital would be ticklish. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026 However, Apollo economist Torsten Slok said policymakers are in a ticklish spot now with inflation still above target and the soft jobs picture, putting the central bank’s dual goals of stable prices and full employment in conflict. — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025 Rubbing underarm is selected as a target motion of robot because previous research suggests that this is the best way for making humans feel ticklish. — Erico Guizzo, IEEE Spectrum, 14 Oct. 2016 See All Example Sentences for ticklish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ticklish
  1. sensitive
  2. difficult
  3. touchy
  4. tough
  5. tetchy
  6. complicated
  7. irritable
  8. problematic
Adjective
  • Government debt makes up more than 200% of its gross domestic product, leaving its finances highly sensitive to rising borrowing costs.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In addition to pressure, the team demonstrated that the same basic glass platform could also be made sensitive to temperature.
    — Pawel Maniewski, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Being undefeated after a trio of difficult opening matches can only be seen as a positive, even if Newcastle’s obvious shortcomings require addressing if that run is to be prolonged.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Engineers need flight data on propulsion, aerodynamics, thermal management, guidance and other subsystems under conditions that are difficult to reproduce on the ground.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • The French Open crowd is famously touchy, especially when one of their own is involved.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Know More The Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference moved this week to bar players who have signed pro contracts from playing college sports, a sign of how touchy the issue is as the college football season starts this weekend.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of touchy
Adjective
  • Space-grade electronics will cost more, and the ball’s shell—made from a material tough enough to roll over steel shards and withstand minus 184 °C temperatures—has never been evaluated in lunar extremes.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Democratic leaders face tough decisions on where to spend limited party resources to win the Senate majority.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Schrader approaches some pretty tetchy, third-rail territory, doing some debating about whether one act of child abuse means that John is, inherently, a child abuser by nature.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
  • And then an ignominious end to her Indian Wells title defense, which saw her cursing at the crowd after a tense, tetchy loss to Kateřina Siniaková in her second match.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Definition of tetchy
Adjective
  • Downs got a complicated Ohio State defense on the right page, made checks and took away passing lanes by consistently being in the right place.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Hossain ties up the fate of her complicated protagonist with a neat bow, leaving too many unanswered questions about the backstory and topics raised.
    — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of complicated
Adjective
  • The product immediately calmed down my irritable, rosacea-prone skin while delivering intense hydration that lasted all day.
    — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 31 Aug. 2026
  • How skipping breakfast affects kids at school Nemours KidsHealth reports that kids who miss the morning meal often feel tired, restless or irritable by midmorning.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • The lack of an alternative striker to Haaland could be problematic if the 26-year-old misses any significant period, and given Trafford played an important role in City winning two domestic cups last season, Rulli will have a lot to live up to.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As the first episode begins, the exultant staffers arrive at work only to find out the office in mourning over the death of a beloved Softees salesman, whose problematic personal life will make the writing of the obit a nightmare of an assignment.
    — Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of problematic

Browse Nearby Words

tickling
ticklish
tick (off)
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Cite this Entry

“Ticklish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ticklish. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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