touching

American  

[tuhch-ing] / ˈtʌtʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. affecting; moving; pathetic.

   a touching scene of farewell.

   Synonyms:

   piteous, poignant, stirring

2. that touches.

   Synonyms:

   tangent

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preposition

1. in reference or relation to; concerning; about.

   He wrote touching future plans.

touching British  

/ ˈtʌtʃɪŋ /

adjective

1. evoking or eliciting tender feelings

   your sympathy is touching

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preposition

1. on the subject of; relating to

Other Word Forms

• touchingly adverb
• touchingness noun
• untouching adjective

Etymology

Origin of touching

First recorded in 1250–1300; touch + -ing ²

Example Sentences

“Death of the Last Cowhand” here is a touching poem by rancher Linda Hasselstrom memorializing the last days of a nonagenarian cowboy who literally died with his boots on.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Healthcare unemployment has crept up since touching an all-time low in 2022.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

They communicate by touching each other with their trunks, smelling each other and vocalizing.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

"With the long-awaited four-day Easter weekend almost within touching distance, the cost of getting away by car is going to be noticeably higher this year," said RAC head of policy Simon Williams.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

I looked up to see that someone had put food on our table, but no one was touching the sad-looking sandwiches.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• heartbreaking
• pathetic
• poignant
• sad
• stirring
• stunning
• wistful