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
The coming two seasons were always going to kind of touchy for the Capitals.
—
Barry Svrluga, Washington Post, 4 July 2024
Jenni Rivera never shied away from touchy subjects in her music, often exploring torrid love affairs through a morally questionable perspective.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
The touchiest topics in this year’s negotiations include school aid, Medicaid funding and — perhaps most of all — tenant protections.
—Tim Balk, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2024
When the itchy Aries Moon joins forces with touchy Chiron, however, our primal impulses are likely to overpower our lofty ideals.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchy 
Barry Svrluga, Washington Post, 4 July 2024
Jenni Rivera never shied away from touchy subjects in her music, often exploring torrid love affairs through a morally questionable perspective.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
The touchiest topics in this year’s negotiations include school aid, Medicaid funding and — perhaps most of all — tenant protections.
—Tim Balk, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2024
When the itchy Aries Moon joins forces with touchy Chiron, however, our primal impulses are likely to overpower our lofty ideals.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'touchy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near touchy
Cite this Entry
“Touchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchy. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
touchy
adjective
touchier; touchiest
1
: easily hurt or insulted
2
: calling for tact or careful handling
a touchy subject
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