touchy
Americanadjective
-
touchier,
comparative
-
touchiest
superlative
adjective
-
easily upset or irritated; oversensitive
-
extremely risky
-
easily ignited
Synonym Usage
See irritable.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of touchy
First recorded in 1595–1605; variant of techy 2 (a variant of tetchy ( def. ) ), by association with touch
Explanation
Things that are touchy are hard to handle — not literally, but to talk about. Touchy subjects make people upset. There are a lot of touchy topics in life. Religion is a big one, since people have such different yet strong beliefs. Racism and sexism are touchy. Politics can be touchy. Asking someone how old they are or what they weigh are very touchy questions. Something is touchy if you need to handle it with kid gloves — or maybe avoid the topic altogether. People often use euphemisms — soft, evasive terms — for touchy subjects, to make discussing them easier.
Vocabulary lists containing touchy
The Catcher in the Rye
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Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
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The Battle of the Labyrinth
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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.
See Examples For:
More than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31 in an unprecedented, chaotic surge that left scores dead and sparked European Union infighting over the touchy issue of migration.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Some dating advice for the modern era: Money is often a touchy subject in relationships, but especially when one person earns more than their partner.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026
This has been a touchy subject for some time within the US administration.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
“One of the biggest things I struggle with is judgment, so opening up or writing about touchy subjects or things that mean something to me was hard,” Lani said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2026
It is highly unlikely that he was considering passing up the hundred-grander for the Widener, but he thought the pretense might help in the touchy matter of weights.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
After all, this conversation isn’t totally unlike one you might have with a potential roommate, even if familial obligations make it a bit touchier.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2025
Mussolini eventually bowed out after saying that, although she wasn’t sure if American anti-fascists were more annoying than Italian ones, they were definitely touchier:
From Slate ● Mar. 31, 2019
But a touchier issue erupted when Whittaker, on Aug. 9, thinking a summit assault was nearing, named the four climbers he had chosen to try for the top: Wickwire, Reichardt, Ridgeway and Roskelley.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2018
The new comedy series "Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas" has the former "Daily Show" correspondent traveling far and wide to tackle some of today's touchier topics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2018
“OK, OK," he squawked, “what about your brilliant idea, Thief Lord? Heavens, that man is touchier than a dog with a bone."
From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke
And food is one of the touchiest characteristics for sure.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 21, 2023
Beyond sibling dynamics, let’s talk about the touchiest part of this.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2021
“But it’s also a more vulnerable performance, less tightly woven and deliberately plotted, even turning uncharacteristically jagged at points as it explores some of the writer’s touchiest preoccupations.”
From New York Times ● Sep. 3, 2020
He willingly wades into the NBA MVP debate, the touchiest of all NBA topics.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 23, 2017
He was about the touchiest guy I ever met.
From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
