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• touch-up
  touch-up

  noun

  an act or instance of touching up.
• touch up
  touch up

  verb

  to put extra or finishing touches to

touch-up

American  

[tuhch-uhp] / ˈtʌtʃˌʌp /

noun

1. an act or instance of touching up.

   Her makeup needed a touch-up.

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touch up British  

verb

1. to put extra or finishing touches to

2. to enhance, renovate, or falsify by putting extra touches to

   to touch up a photograph

3. to stimulate or rouse as by a tap or light blow

4. slang to touch or caress (someone), esp to arouse sexual feelings

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noun

1. a renovation or retouching, as of a painting

touch up Idioms  

1. Make minor changes or improvements, as in This wall needs some touching up but not complete repainting. [Early 1700s]

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Etymology

Origin of touch-up

First recorded in 1880–85; noun use of verb phrase touch up

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

touch-up touch up

But the team doesn’t just apply a flattering touch-up to sickly markets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

Then mix touch-up porcelain paint to match the color of the tile as closely as possible.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 14, 2023

People aspire to capture their essence by wearing their fragrances and makeup, which Rihanna acknowledged by subtly promoting her Fenty cosmetics line mid-performance with an on-camera touch-up.

From Salon ● Feb. 17, 2023

The initial series of three treatments with the MonaLisa Touch typically runs between $2,700 and $3,000, with touch-up sessions costing extra, while three sessions with the Votiva device can cost upwards of $3,500.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2022

Al surely needs a touch-up before going on camera again.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

In a behind-the-scenes film shared by Coke, a voice-over discusses the “team of artists” who “work frame-by-frame, often pixel-by-pixel” to touch up and tweak the festive images generated by the AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

They looked disjointed, error strewn, all too easily penetrated at the back and lacking a killer touch up front - hardly the characteristics of a championship-winning team.

From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2024

He credited that in part to drills arranged by Kraken assistant coach Jay Leach to touch up certain aspects of his game and build his confidence.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 9, 2024

Two commercial breaks will run per hour, during which candidates can use the restroom and touch up makeup.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 9, 2023

I would make my way by touch up the dark staircase and come to rest against the door, the thud of blood in my ears.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood