touch 1 of 2

verb

ˈtəch How to pronounce touch (audio)
Definition of touchnext
1
as in to feel
to come into bodily contact with (something) so as to perceive a slight pressure on the skin be careful not to touch this pan—it's still hot

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2
as in to influence
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response your speech on the true meaning of patriotism touched me deeply

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable unfortunately, his insufferable arrogance tends to touch even the good deeds that he does

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to join
to be adjacent to our property touches theirs right where that big elm tree is

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5
as in to affect
to be the business or affair of I don't think this decision touches you, so butt out

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touch

2 of 2

noun

1
as in contact
the state or fact of being able to exchange information regarding one's current situation everyone promised to keep in touch over the summer

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2
as in splash
a very small amount added just a touch of parsley to the dish

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in feature
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind each designer has his or her own personal touches

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4
as in hint
an almost imperceptible sign of something a touch of irritation tinged his voice as the candidate fielded yet another question about his personal finances

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb touch differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of touch are affect, impress, influence, strike, and sway. While all these words mean "to produce or have an effect upon," touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming.

plants touched by frost
his emotions were touched by her distress

When can affect be used instead of touch?

The words affect and touch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.

the sight affected her to tears

Where would impress be a reasonable alternative to touch?

The meanings of impress and touch largely overlap; however, impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.

only one of the plans impressed him

When could influence be used to replace touch?

The synonyms influence and touch are sometimes interchangeable, but influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).

our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

When is strike a more appropriate choice than touch?

While in some cases nearly identical to touch, strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.

struck by the solemnity of the occasion

When is it sensible to use sway instead of touch?

Although the words sway and touch have much in common, sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action.

politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of touch
Verb
Even with the Ukraine connection, none of those outlets have even touched this story yet, based on my cursory Googling. —Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Running back The Dolphins had only 48 snaps on offense (compared with 73 for the Colts), and De’Von Achane was on the field for 35 of them and touched the ball on 10 of those 35. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
To combat isolation amid shorter days, keep in touch with loved ones, NextStep4MentalHealth advises. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025 The Rochester Hotel Once a public boarding house known as the Peeples Hotel, The Rochester Hotel has been thoroughly revamped into a 15-room property with luxury touches. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for touch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch
  1. feel
  2. influence
  3. taint
  4. join
  5. affect
  6. contact
  7. splash
  8. feature
Verb
  • Miami’s play was so decisively putrid that the 33-8 loss to the Colts seemed almost a blessing because the game felt so much more lopsided than that.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The trendy animal print pattern combined with the crisscross buckle design offers a sophisticated, retro feel that’ll perk up any classic pair of jeans.
    — Melody Kazel, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of feel
Verb
  • Her pieces consisted of geometric tops influenced by flowers’ natural designs and also modernized micro shorts.
    — Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The efficiency and immediacy of space medicine may well influence healthcare innovation far beyond orbit, inspiring systems that are faster, cheaper, and more accessible.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of influence
Verb
  • Buggs’ public defender also suggested that Alameda County prosecutors’ case was tainted by that bias.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
  • That Anniston’s offer is tainted is a given; that Charles is making a deal with a very bad man is obvious.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of taint
Verb
  • Eaton reconnected to her faith at 27, after her mother passed away, and joined a music group at her church in Denver.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Soliman had been swept into custody, joining a record 61,000 people now in ICE detention.
    — Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of join
Verb
  • If $3 billion in additional funding through 2090 isn't approved, and soon, tens of thousands of people from different genders, races and cultural backgrounds will be affected.
    — Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Exchange rates affect everything from groceries to retirement.
    — Tom Zachystal, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of affect
Noun
  • As officers attempted contact, more gunshots were fired from inside the apartment toward officers, who took cover and began securing the scene and evacuating surrounding apartments, according to the release.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The setup also created windless conditions, ideal for two ball-strikers who really can bring the power with good contact.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of contact
Noun
  • Right now, the studio seems focused on delivering quality, memorable, and creative games that people want to play not just because of the brand name splash screen that will appear before the main menu.
    — David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • And the American redstart — a jetblack little fellow with orange splashes — pretty much stopped breeding here in the early 2000s.
    — Ari Daniel, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of splash
Noun
  • The 2025 Ford Explorer’s welcome new features add function to an already good midsize SUV.
    — Mark Phelan, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • His killing could become not just a tragedy but a catalyst—an event that radicalizes ever more Americans, less an aberration than a feature of our increasingly perilous national politics.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of feature

Phrases Containing touch

Browse Nearby Words

tot (up)
touch
touchable
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Cite this Entry

“Touch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on touch

Nglish: Translation of touch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about touch

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