touchy Hear it!

touchy Definition

touchy (tuc̸hē)

adjective touchi·er, touchi·est

  1. easily offended; oversensitive; irritable
  2. sensitive to touch; easily irritated, as a part of the body
  3. very risky a touchy situation
  4. highly flammable or readily ignited

Etymology: touch + -y: also ( touchysense ) altered < techy

touchy Related Forms
touchi·ly adverb touchi·ness noun
touchy Synonyms

touchy

modif.

  1. Irritable

    ill-humored, testy, irascible; see irritable.

  2. Delicate

    harmful, hazardous, risky; see unsafe. See syn. study at irritable.

touchy Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • get: My Dad has to hold me cuz he says I get a bit touchy.

Modifies a noun

  • feely: They weren't exactly ' touchy feely ' against us either.
  • subject: Fox hunting has always been a touchy subject in my family.
  • issue: Seems to be a bit touchy issue still, the substance abuse.
  • one: Which of us is supposed to be the touchy one then?
  • topic: This politically touchy topic is also where the movie finds most of its greatest moments of humor.
  • matter: Disclaimer: Secure Socket Layer technology is a pretty touchy legal matter.

Modifying Another Word

  • very: Seeking Oliver, Tony is very touchy with Ed about his recent fishing trip with Mike.
  • so: And he was so touchy, too, so ready to resent opposition.
  • extremely: In fact, estate agents are extremely touchy about how much they influence ever-spiralling house prices.
  • rather: He is a good mate, rather touchy on some points of etiquette, but very reasonable when he has cooled down.
  • somewhat: They are somewhat touchy about people they consider might be terrorists these days ( Cat Stevens.
  • little: This is a delicate project from my standpoint, so I'm a little touchy as to who deals with it.

Used with adjective complement

  • get: O'Leary had suggested the club should not sell Rio Ferdinand, and the plc was getting touchy about any hint of dissent.
  • become: She may begin building nests around the cage, and may also become more touchy with her rattie friends.

Browse dictionary entries near touchy

  1. touchwood
  2. touchstone
  3. touchline
  4. touching
  5. touchhole
  6. touched
  7. touchdown
  8. touchback
  9. touchable
  10. touch up
  1. touchy-feely
  2. tough
  3. tough love
  4. tough-minded
  5. toughen
  6. toughie
  7. toujours
  8. Toulon
  9. Toulouse
  10. Toulouse-Lautrec