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 amphitheater is a touchy issue for another reason.
—
Gary Robbins, The Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2024
That was a touchy time in his relationship with Rogers, who fell into a depression after he wasn’t hired.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Performing Inflight Maneuvers Likewise, Germany's Fokker D7 was also highly touchy at the controls, particularly in prototype form; its thicker-than-usual wings resulted in some sketchy directional instability in a dive.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 1 Dec. 2024
But here’s another example of how lies beget lies, leading to some touchy situations.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchy 
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Gary Robbins, The Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2024
That was a touchy time in his relationship with Rogers, who fell into a depression after he wasn’t hired.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Performing Inflight Maneuvers Likewise, Germany's Fokker D7 was also highly touchy at the controls, particularly in prototype form; its thicker-than-usual wings resulted in some sketchy directional instability in a dive.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 1 Dec. 2024
But here’s another example of how lies beget lies, leading to some touchy situations.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for touchy
Dictionary Entries Near touchy
Cite this Entry
“Touchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchy. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
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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