- present participle of titillate.
titillating
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of titillating
First recorded in 1670–80; titillat(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
When something is titillating, it makes you feel thrilled or excited. For your book report, your English teacher will probably make you read a serious novel rather than a titillating romance. The adjective titillating implies a certain cheap or fleeting kind of excitement. Titillating things are unimportant and entertaining—maybe even a little bit lewd. The word comes from the Latin word titillationem, "a tickling," and its root titillare, " to tickle," which imitates the sound of giggling.
Vocabulary lists containing titillating
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.
In fact, in the hoo-hah over the Lakers, titillating to the media on both coasts, Mr. Trump has been a non-factor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Gay kisses and scenes of queer physical affection aren’t exactly titillating, or worse, made into inspiring coming-out vignettes perfectly primed for Pride season watchlists.
From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026
After that, his unclaimed body began its wanderings: as a greeter for an Oklahoma funeral home, as a sideshow attraction for touring carnivals, and even in a titillating 1933 pre-Code film, “Narcotic.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2025
I acknowledge that chaos is titillating, and change can be exciting, and I understand the lure of joining an elite conference and what that can mean as far as prestige and visibility.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2023
For audiences reared on the regular, predictable patterns of Haydn and Mozart, the Eroica’s many noisy surprises would have been both titillating and bewildering.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
