Synonyms

touchy-feely

American

[tuhch-ee-fee-lee] / ˈtʌtʃ iˈfi li /

adjective

Informal. emphasizing or marked by emotional openness and enthusiastic physicality.

a touchy-feely encounter group.

touchy-feely British

/ ˈtʌtʃɪˈfiːlɪ /

adjective

informal openly displaying one's emotions and affections

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

touchy-feeliness

noun

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.

Affection is one thing—it’s possible to love someone deeply without being touchy feely.

From Slate • Jun. 21, 2021

They should also avoid "bad-mouthing" each other in front of colleagues, arguing about domestic issues in the office, being too touchy feely or showing favouritism.

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2019

These are only feel good / "touchy feely" subjects for the NYT , or Bloomberg News, etc.- much as I read them all.

From New York Times • Jan. 1, 2019

Producer Jenni Konner, left, director and former "Girls" boom mic operator Jason Benjamin, and producer Lena Dunham, from the film "Suited," get touchy feely.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2016

Now, though, we are said to like our transactions personalised and touchy feely.

From The Guardian • May 27, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023