touchier; touchiest
1
: marked by readiness to take offense on slight provocation
he's a little touchy about his past
2
: calling for tact, care, or caution in treatment
a touchy subject
3
a
of a body part
: acutely sensitive or irritable
b
of a chemical
: highly explosive or inflammable
Examples of touchy in a Sentence
Don't be so touchy. I was just kidding.
watch what you say around him, as he's very touchy about every little thing
Recent Examples on the Web
Ahead of the series' June 18 premiere, Lind, 23, sat down with PEOPLE to discuss the series, which marked her first time playing the lead, and even just the suggestion of the goodbye scenes seemed to be a touchy subject.
—
Julia Moore, People.com, 24 June 2025
The controls are touchy when inserting the buds, but otherwise convenient thanks to both a multi-key and volume rocker.
—Ryan Waniata, Wired News, 27 May 2025
That remains a politically touchy issue in the U.K., seen by some Brexiteers as inching back toward free movement, according to the Associated Press.
—Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2025
In that sense, the vulgar Vader situation creates a touchy dilemma for Epic Games and Disney, which likely invested substantially in this high-profile collaboration.
—ArsTechnica, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for touchy
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.
Julia Moore, People.com, 24 June 2025
The controls are touchy when inserting the buds, but otherwise convenient thanks to both a multi-key and volume rocker.
—Ryan Waniata, Wired News, 27 May 2025
That remains a politically touchy issue in the U.K., seen by some Brexiteers as inching back toward free movement, according to the Associated Press.
—Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2025
In that sense, the vulgar Vader situation creates a touchy dilemma for Epic Games and Disney, which likely invested substantially in this high-profile collaboration.
—ArsTechnica, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for touchy
Cite this Entry
“Touchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchy. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
touchy
adjective
touchier; touchiest
1
: easily hurt or insulted
2
: calling for tact or careful handling
a touchy subject
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share