adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈtʌt͡ʃi/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Extremely sensitive or volatile; easily disturbed to the point of becoming unstable; requiring caution or tactfulness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
It is an extremely touchy situation, with everybody's patience wearing thin.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Easily offended, oversensitive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He can be very touchy when you talk about his estranged son, so be as tactful as possible.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Inclined to engage in physical touch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: handsy, touchy-feely
Antonyms: untouchy
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
difficult to handle; requiring great tact
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
delicate negotiations with the big powers
hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter
a touchy subject
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: delicate, ticklish
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
quick to take offense
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: huffy, thin-skinned, feisty
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
A variant of earlier tetchy (“cranky, easily annoyed, difficult to handle”), under influence from some senses of touch (“affect, disturb”) and simulating touch + -y.
Across languages
Translations
62 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
чувствителен
(čuvstvitelen)
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Bulgarian:
раздразнителен
(razdraznitelen)
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Czech:
netýkavý
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Czech:
popudlivý
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Czech:
nevrlý
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Czech:
podrážděný
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Finnish:
arkaluonteinen
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
French:
irascible
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Galician:
delicado
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Galician:
espiñento
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
German:
heikel
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
German:
empfindlich
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Māori:
whanewhane
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Norwegian Bokmål:
irritabel
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Norwegian Bokmål:
hårsår
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Polish:
drażliwy
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Russian:
чувстви́тельный
(čuvstvítelʹnyj)
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Spanish:
touchy
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Turkish:
hassas
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Turkish:
nazik
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Turkish:
ince
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
Turkish:
kırılgan
— (situation) sensitive or volatile
