1
as in sensitive
easily offended
he's ticklish about his looks, so it's wisest to avoid the subject altogether
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ticklish
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
It’s certainly made for these (end) times: a lushly surreal, cynically ticklish goof on the ineffectiveness of political summits as apocalyptic dread mounts.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
While plenty of jokers and pranksters offered responses, most users responded by unexpectedly trauma-dumping on the ticklish Muppet.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2024
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
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
It’s certainly made for these (end) times: a lushly surreal, cynically ticklish goof on the ineffectiveness of political summits as apocalyptic dread mounts.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
While plenty of jokers and pranksters offered responses, most users responded by unexpectedly trauma-dumping on the ticklish Muppet.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2024
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
Adjective
-
This was essentially a copy of the main laser beam, used as a sensitive probe to detect tiny fluctuations that the main system couldn’t easily see.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Berries, leafy greens, and other fresh fruits and vegetables are also particularly sensitive to temperature fluctuations.—
Bridget Shirvell,
Martha Stewart,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Putting in the new chip was more difficult.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The rest will be more difficult.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Xinjiang has long been a touchy issue in neighboring Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country of 20 million people that relies on China as a major trading partner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The conversation, by turns comfortable and touchy, is familiar enough.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There were others like it against Ohtani as well, showing the Mets are still fouling off tough pitches and trying to keep at-bats alive, and some standout defensive plays made as well.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The toughest day belonged to someone who didn't even play.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps through feeling more irritable, more anxious, or wanting to isolate.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Had my symptoms maybe been put down to irritable bowel, for example, that could’ve been ongoing and ongoing and ongoing for a much longer period of time.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The figures had cracked in many places and some of the statues revealed their complicated armature.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Legacy therapeutic approaches are sometimes complicated, costly, slow or restricted in geography.—
Lucy Jones
April 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Both shows feature fish-out-of-water scenarios and Levy as a tetchy gay man with a difficult sister—though Nicky has two of those, not just one.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Edgily eager to shoot their scenes and get a move on with their acting lives, the increasingly tetchy trio are stuck in virtual drydock as all actual moviemaking has drained away.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, commissioners noted that the single accessway to the complex would be a narrow road where traffic is already problematic.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
-
So structurally, obviously, that is problematic for this whole throat area.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ticklish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ticklish. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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