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

Bovino testified that merely touching an agent “could be assault depending on the situation. Spitting on someone could be assault.”

From Los Angeles Times

“You might call it a Metaphysical Spoof With Acrobatic Prelude, or you might not. The only general thing you can say about it is that it’s very bright and very funny, and sometimes rather touching.”

From Los Angeles Times

"It's truly touching," said Stone Ngai, 38, one of the organisers of an impromptu aid station.

From Barron's

In a 1944 letter, he noted that he sometimes found Welty’s gorgeous metaphors and similes a distraction, “touching something outside the story so vividly that for a moment the mind shifts away from the theme.”

From The Wall Street Journal

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is urging air travellers to dress better and be more civil - and it's touching a nerve at a time when many Americans consider air travel more frustrating than ever.

From BBC

Related Words

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