tickled; tickling
ˈti-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to touch (a body part, a person, etc.) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements
2
3
: to touch or stir gently
a pianist tickling the ivories
1
: to have a tingling or prickling sensation
my back tickles
2
: to excite the surface nerves to prickle
Examples of tickle in a Sentence
Verb
Her little brother screamed with laughter as she tickled him.
The tag on the sweater tickled his neck.
My nose started to tickle.
Don't touch me there; it tickles.
We were tickled by the invitation.
The idea of going to the party tickled her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Liza Lentini, SPIN, 10 Jan. 2025
My number one priority is a personal mission that truly tickles my heart: re-creating a photograph of my parents posing by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2025
Simon Thompson, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
The emotional resonance, whether convenience, prestige, adventure, or simply a pleasurable tickle of the senses, translates to repeat business as the customer seeks to capture once more the delight of all previous encounters.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tickle 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
And a little bit of Pop (Sabrina Carpenter, Post Malone) to tickle my songwriter bone.
—Liza Lentini, SPIN, 10 Jan. 2025
My number one priority is a personal mission that truly tickles my heart: re-creating a photograph of my parents posing by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
Even though the action has switched to Europe, sections of the movie are still grounded in LA, with hyperlocal references that tickle fans but can sometimes be too hyperlocal.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
The emotional resonance, whether convenience, prestige, adventure, or simply a pleasurable tickle of the senses, translates to repeat business as the customer seeks to capture once more the delight of all previous encounters.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tickle
Dictionary Entries Near tickle
Cite this Entry
“Tickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tickle. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tickle
1 of 2 verb
tick·le
ˈtik-əl
tickled; tickling
-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to touch a body part lightly so as to cause uneasiness, laughter, or jerky movements
2
: to have a tingling or prickling sensation
3
a
: to excite or stir up agreeably : please
food that tickles your taste buds
b
: to stir to laughter or merriment
were tickled by the clown's antics
tickler
noun
ˈtik-(ə-)lər
tickle
2 of 2 noun1
: the act of tickling
2
: a tickling sensation
3
: something that tickles
Medical Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share