touch 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

touch

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
But just four years into the PHP journey, Rosie and Mollie Kmita are already touching the lives of many young women on two continents. Vitas Carosella, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025 Melissa noted that their family and friends have rallied around the Full House alum, especially since cancer has touched his life in devastating ways before. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
Only Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne sends in more open-play crosses per 100 touches than Robinson’s 5.77. The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025 This allowed Haaland to play off multiple touches and gave De Bruyne and Foden time to make runs. Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for touch 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touch
Verb
  • However, Girma’s deal feels different and bigger than all of those, as the key to the USWNT defense signed a long-term deal with Chelsea, signaling a new level of ambition.
    Emily Olsen, The Athletic, 28 Jan. 2025
  • And while the Panthers feel good about their quarterback situation — following Bryce Young’s second-half reemergence in 2024 — Morgan hopes the teams picking in front of him fall in love with Sanders, Miami’s Cam Ward or any other quarterback that shines during the draft process.
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Researchers accounted for factors that could influence the results, such as sleep duration, physical activity levels, smoking status, and diet quality.
    Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 18 Jan. 2025
  • Since Swift first showed support for the Chiefs, she's dramatically influenced the team's demographic, in addition to the NFL's audience as a whole.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In a 2021 study in the Journal of Urban Health, researchers surveyed adult residents of Flint, Michigan, where the water was known to have been tainted with lead.
    Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025
  • The goal is not to taint your hard work with someone whose values are the polar opposite to yours.
    Goro Gupta, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2025
  • McKenzie was the Oakland Raiders’ GM from 2012 to 2018 before joining the Dolphins at the start of the rebuild with Grier at GM and when Brian Flores was hired as coach.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The message, says de Gouw, is to clean everything one can carefully and thoroughly, because the smoke can affect nearly every part of a home—even in houses far from the fire line.
    Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 19 Jan. 2025
  • The following apps developed by ByteDance and its subsidiaries are affected: TikTok, TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller Center, CapCut, Lemon8, Hypic, Lark – Team Collaboration, Lark – Rooms Display, Lark Rooms Controller, Gauth: AI Study Companion and Marvel Snap.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 19 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The team determined that the two female sharks in the tank had not been in contact with a male in over three years.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Despite being a commoner, Harald broke his father’s rule and began dating Sonja, but Olav ordered Harald to cut off contact with her once he was made aware of their relationship.
    Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • There is only one back-to-back set, right before the break on Feb. 8 and 9. Upstart goaltenders have made big splashes in Montreal in the past.
    Carol Schram, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Rare is it that a debut cookbook written by someone without a large preexisting fan base makes such a splash, but the book continues to this day to be a go-to resource for anybody looking to develop their confidence in the kitchen and is in many ways a modern classic.
    Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Terms & Conditions, the first feature from video artist Joseph, was complicated this morning after it was announced that Participant had pulled the project from a debut slot at Sundance.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2025
  • See the Headliner, narrative feature and TV premieres section below.
    Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near touch

Cite this Entry

“Touch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touch. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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