adjective
preposition
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of touching
Explanation
Something that is touching affects you emotionally—it makes you feel sad or tender. A touching video about baby hedgehogs might even make your stoic older sister cry. The adjective touching comes from a particular meaning of the verb touch, "to affect or move mentally or emotionally," from the idea that something has "touched" your mind or heart. Your book report might describe the story you read as touching if it left you wiping away a tear.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
None of the speakers witnessed the alleged inappropriate touching of a student.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
The technology allows users to make calls, interact with AI hands-free and also take photos and videos simply by touching the frames, provoking concerns about privacy.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
After a couple days, Butler will try touching them, starting with their finger rather than their whole hand.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The dollar was last 1.2% lower at 154.38 yen after touching 154.04 earlier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
This time Roadrunner ran ahead into the trees, far faster than I could, and I wasn’t too sure whether Henrietta’s feet were touching the ground.
From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
