Touchy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈtə-chē/

Meaning & Definition of Touchy

Touchy (adjective)

  1. marked by readiness to take offense on slight provocation
  2. calling for tact, care, or caution in treatment
  3. acutely sensitive or irritable

Touchy (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. easily offended

    "watch what you say around him, as he's very touchy about every little thing"

    similar: huffy, tetchy, thin-skinned, ticklish
    related: hypersensitive, oversensitive, sensitive, supersensitive, tender, choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, cross-grained, crotchety, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, irritable, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stroppy (British), stuffy, testy, waspish, bearish, bilious, cantankerous, curmudgeonly, disagreeable, dyspeptic, ill-humored, ill-natured, ill-tempered, ornery, querulous, surly
    opposite: thick-skinned
    near: agreeable, amiable, good-natured, good-tempered, well-disposed, carefree, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, relaxed, unconcerned, forbearing, long-suffering, obliging, understanding

  2. requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling

    "money is a touchy subject for many people and shouldn't be discussed casually"

    similar: catchy, delicate, difficult, dodgy (chiefly British), hairy, knotty, nasty, prickly, problematic, sensitive, spiny, sticky, thorny, ticklish, tough, tricksy, tricky
    related: abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, hard, intricate, involved, recondite, serious, problem, scabrous, stubborn, troublesome, troublous, vexatious, vexing, worrisome, burdensome, demanding, discommoding, exacting, exhausting, importunate, inconvenient, onerous, oppressive, painful, stressful
    near: easy, effortless, manageable, painless, simple, straightforward, uncomplicated, undemanding, unproblematic

  3. capable of catching or being set on fire

    "the experiment involves the use of some touchy chemicals, so caution is required"

    similar: burnable, combustible, combustive, fiery, flammable, ignitable, inflammable
    related: explosive, incendiary
    opposite: fireproof, incombustible, nonburnable, noncombustible, nonflammable, noninflammable, unburnable
    near: nonexplosive

Related Entry: Touchy-feely (adjective)

Touchy-feely is a different word from Touchy. The synonyms below are for touchy-feely, not for touchy.

  1. showing feeling freely

    "she is too touchy-feely and he is too stiff-upper-lip for their relationship to ever work out"

    similar: demonstrative, effusive, emotional, uninhibited, unreserved, unrestrained
    related: dramatic, histrionic, hyperemotional, melodramatic, theatrical, gushing, gushy, maudlin, mawkish, mushy, schmaltzy, sentimental, communicative, expansive, extroverted, outgoing, affectionate, feeling, intense, loving, passionate, sensitive, soulful, warm, blunt, candid, frank, outspoken, plain
    opposite: inhibited, reserved, restrained, undemonstrative, unemotional
    near: constrained, quiet, reticent, silent, taciturn, bashful, modest, retiring, shy, introverted, self-directed, aloof, detached, dispassionate, emotionless, impassive, indifferent, phlegmatic, stolid, unconcerned, unfeeling, chilly, cold, frigid, glacial, hard-boiled, hard-edged, hard-hearted, icy, unfriendly

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Touchy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Touchy:

Chiefly British: dodgy
huffy, tetchy, thin-skinned, ticklish, catchy, delicate, difficult, hairy, knotty, nasty, prickly, problematic, sensitive, spiny, sticky, thorny, tough, tricksy, tricky, burnable, combustible, combustive, fiery, flammable, ignitable, inflammable

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Touchy

Words with the opposite meaning of Touchy:

thick-skinned, fireproof, incombustible, nonburnable, noncombustible, nonflammable, noninflammable, unburnable

Related Words for Touchy

hypersensitive, oversensitive, supersensitive, tender, choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, cross-grained, crotchety, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, irritable, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stroppy, stuffy, testy

Near Antonyms of Touchy

agreeable, amiable, good-natured, good-tempered, well-disposed, carefree, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, relaxed, unconcerned, forbearing, long-suffering, obliging, understanding, easy, effortless, manageable, painless, simple, straightforward, uncomplicated, undemanding, unproblematic, nonexplosive

Word Forms of Touchy

Inflections: touchier, touchiest

Derived words: touchily (adverb), touchiness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Touchy

First known use: 1602

Words & Phrases Containing Touchy

touchy-feely

Frequently Asked Questions about Touchy

What does "Touchy" mean?

"Touchy" means marked by readiness to take offense on slight provocation. As an adjective, it is defined as: marked by readiness to take offense on slight provocation. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Touchy"?

Other words for "Touchy" include huffy, tetchy, thin-skinned, ticklish, catchy, delicate, difficult and dodgy. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Touchy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Touchy"?

There are 100 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Touchy". Common alternatives include huffy, tetchy, thin-skinned, ticklish, catchy, delicate, difficult, dodgy, hairy and knotty.

What is the opposite of "Touchy"?

Antonyms of "Touchy" include thick-skinned, fireproof, incombustible, nonburnable, noncombustible, nonflammable, noninflammable and unburnable. Near antonyms include agreeable, amiable, good-natured and good-tempered.

How do you use "Touchy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Touchy" in a sentence: "watch what you say around him, as he's very touchy about every little thing"; "money is a touchy subject for many people and shouldn't be discussed casually"; "the experiment involves the use of some touchy chemicals, so caution is required".

Is "Touchy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Touchy" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Touchy"?

"Touchy" is pronounced /ˈtə-chē/.

What is the origin of the word "Touchy"?

First known use: 1602.