Jump To:

• 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.

---

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

---

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]

---

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

Hovering nearby is an entourage of about half a dozen people, including a makeup artist who’s primed to make Aguilar’s next touch-up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2025

The Coronation Chair, on which King Charles III will sit for part of his ceremony on Saturday, is getting a touch-up.

From New York Times ● May 5, 2023

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

From Washington Post ● Apr. 14, 2023

Mrs. Walton rushes toward us with tissues and touch-up makeup in her hands.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

In a highly anticipated pitching matchup, the Dodgers drive Jacob Misiorowski out of the game early, but the Brewers touch up Tarik Skubal and get the 2-1 victory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

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

"That's almost like asking can we touch up the Mona Lisa a little bit."

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 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

After the slow dance, my first ever, I’m in the bathroom—it’s cruddy—and I look at myself in the mirror and touch up the small bit of brown eyeliner I’m wearing.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King