TOUCHY Synonyms: 134 Similar and Opposite Words

touchy

adjective

ˈtə-chē

Definition of touchy

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

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

as in combustible

capable of catching or being set on fire the experiment involves the use of some touchy chemicals, so caution is required

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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 touchy Also, steer clear of controversial issues, because this is a touchy day for everyone. — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 1 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 Beyond the backlash, regulating the glasses is a touchy subject, Quintin told Ars. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026 The question of making a living as an end-of-life doula can be touchy. — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for touchy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for touchy

Adjective

Another network had received the notification by late Saturday, according to a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive details.

— Miriam Waldvogel, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Pictet seemed sensitive to the moral risk of going into Syria for the wrong reasons.

— Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

The problem, Snegovaya said, is that achieving military autonomy for Europe and Ukraine is extremely difficult in the short term, and Europe has been slow to develop the necessary capabilities.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Past changes have pushed the glacier into a retreat that may be difficult to reverse, while new modeling suggests scientists may have underestimated how warm seawater reaches beneath it.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

The latest friction and finger-pointing between the two leaders is yet another data point in what has been at times a combustible relationship.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
Daniil Medvedev is back in the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals after getting the better of Stefanos Tsitsipas in the latest chapter of their combustible longtime rivalry.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of combustible

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

Celebrity hairstylist Brian Magallones considers this the perfect balance between a not-too-fussy and not-too-structured chignon, a style that sounds tough to style without a professional team but is actually quite easy to master at-home.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings.

— Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Dallas got thoroughly embarrassed at home by a winless Buccaneers squad, surrendering 241 rushing yards and making an 0-4 offense look explosive.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Tackling has fallen off again The explosive plays aren’t just coming from big plays downfield.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of explosive

Adjective

By combining literacy with something welcoming and familiar like food, Cruz hopes to make the ticklish topic more approachable.

— Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
But all that interest, here, also can generate another ticklish dynamic.

— Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 8 May 2026

Definition of ticklish

Adjective

Winds across the San Joaquin Valley floor could gust 15-20 mph at times Thursday and Friday, with the majority of more problematic winds reserved for the Sierra foothills.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Paul Robeson’s films from the 1930s are sometimes problematic and can pander to colonial ideas about Black people.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026