hit/strike/touch a nerve

idiom

: to make someone feel angry, upset, embarrassed, etc.
Something she said to him must have hit/struck/touched a nerve. I've never seen him so angry.
His controversial column might have hit a (raw/sensitive) nerve with some readers.

Examples of hit/strike/touch a nerve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Justice Engoron’s decision to bar them from running any New York business for two years — and Mr. Trump for three — will likely strike a nerve with the Trump family. Ben Protess, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 After the cheery foot massage, though, Behar appeared to hit a nerve with the 53-year-old during a discussion about his potential run for office in his home state of Texas. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 12 Sep. 2023 Skipping forward in two 12-year intervals, the film asks questions about love, time and geographic barriers that strike a nerve in all manner of viewers. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024 While Kyte Baby’s actions appear to have been legal, its handling of the employee’s request seems to have hit a nerve with its customer base of parents — including some with preemies of their own. Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024 The case has hit a nerve in Italy, where chauvinistic attitudes remain deeply rooted at all levels of society, heightening the challenges of addressing violence against women. Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2023 And its combative tone seemed intended to strike a nerve. Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2023 Songs like this explain why the album hit a nerve with fans. Alexis Oatman, Essence, 30 Sep. 2023 But, regardless of how Winning Time drove it home, the death of Larry's dad hit a nerve in its viewers that could be a sign of where the show is going in the future. Keith Nelson, Men's Health, 21 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hit/strike/touch a nerve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near hit/strike/touch a nerve

hit/strike pay dirt

hit/strike/touch a nerve

hittable

Cite this Entry

“Hit/strike/touch a nerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit%2Fstrike%2Ftouch%20a%20nerve. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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