1
as in sensitive
easily offended
watch what you say around him, as he's very touchy about every little thing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
money is a touchy subject for many people and shouldn't be discussed casually
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in combustible
capable of catching or being set on fire
the experiment involves the use of some touchy chemicals, so caution is required
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of touchy
If money or chores feel touchy with someone at home, don’t try to fix everything at once.
—
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
Consciousness remains a touchy topic in the AI industry.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
The two were spotted closely talking and being touchy at the event and videos quickly surfaced of their flirty encounter.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
And if past is prologue, the path for truly despicable characters — however brilliantly rendered — remains touchy ground.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touchy
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
Consciousness remains a touchy topic in the AI industry.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
The two were spotted closely talking and being touchy at the event and videos quickly surfaced of their flirty encounter.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
And if past is prologue, the path for truly despicable characters — however brilliantly rendered — remains touchy ground.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for touchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touchy
Adjective
-
His sloped shoulders suggested bodily power that was sleepy and sly; his large head and dark, badly cut hair amplified the weight and solidity of him, but his lips were sensitive and a little slack, as if yearning for something he’d been long deprived of.—
Mary Gaitskill,
New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Derived from eucalyptus wood, the material is gentle on sensitive skin, manages moisture, and has a silky, luxe texture.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But having dodged the traps of the social media news era, The Economist now faces looming long-term structural challenges that may be more difficult to avoid.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Frontflips are generally more difficult than backflips for both humans and robots.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a slender streak of humor, dry and combustible as kindling, in the film’s exploration of this absurd domestic setup, which lays out the rigid expectations of women and men alike in a punishingly conservative society.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
-
While very successful, Vitello had a colorful and combustible reputation.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems, including feeling more irritable.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
-
On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Takaichi has proposed tougher policies on immigration and foreigners, something that resonates with a growing frustration in Japan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Bryant was tough to stop and scored nine of her 23 points in the first quarter.—
Justin Vigil Zuniga,
Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As a 21-year-old rookie for the Cardinals in 2021, Moore caught 54 passes, displaying the explosive talent many had expected.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Evidence recovered during the investigation included multiple books related to extremist ideologies — spanning right- and left-wing extremism, environmental extremism, white supremacy and anti-government beliefs — as well as explosive materials and components, according to McMahill.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hallmarks of the best Halloween travel destinations usually entail a moody fall landscape, local legends that involve a tetchy ghost, vampire, or other variety of ominous being, and themed activities like pumpkin patches and cemetery tours.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
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Reynolds is a tetchy tyrant, who, enabled by his sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville), has embraced a need to have things just so as a means of warding off vulnerability.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This one is a bit more problematic, as the process of power generation is hard.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
24 Feb. 2026
-
However, the Roberts opinion’s refusal to credit the historical novelty of the government’s action may prove problematic in the future.—
Sandeep Gopalan,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Touchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touchy. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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