释义
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( tʌ tʃi )
Word forms: comparative touchier , superlative touchiest 1. adjective If you describe someone as touchy , you mean that they are easily upset, offended, or irritated.
[ disapproval] She is very touchy about her past. [ + about ]
Don't be so touchy.
Synonyms: oversensitive , irritable, bad-tempered, cross More Synonyms of touchy
2. adjective [ usually ADJECTIVE noun] If you say that something is a touchy subject, you mean that it is a subject that needs to be dealt with carefully and in a sensitive way, because it might upset or offend people.
...the touchy question of political reform.
More Synonyms of touchy
touchy in British English ( ˈtʌtʃɪ )
adjective Word forms: touchier or touchiest 1. easily upset or irritated; oversensitive
Derived forms
touchily ( ˈtouchily) adverb
touchiness ( ˈtouchiness) noun
touchy in American English ( ˈtʌtʃi )
adjective Word forms: ˈtouchier or ˈtouchiest 1. easily offended; oversensitive; irritable
2. sensitive to touch; easily irritated, as a part of the body
3. very risky
a touchy situation
4. highly flammable or readily ignited
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈirritable
Derived forms
touchily ( ˈtouchily) adverb
touchiness ( ˈtouchiness) noun
Word origin
touch + -y
2 : also (sense touchy (sense 1
) ) altered < techy
Examples of 'touchy' in a sentence touchy
It is still a touchy subject. So for a video game, it is a touchy subject. Nobody actually choked on their tea, but the looks of consternation reminded me that prison has been a touchy subject for a long time. Ministers are touchy about criticisms that the exams are getting easier. This is a touchy theological issue in many groups. They can be a bit touchy about things like that. Therefore it is a touchy subject for them. Pupils will also be able to discuss touchy issues during citizenship lessons and assemblies. Hygiene is a bit of a touchy subject because of what happened to my father. His party has always been touchy on the subject of education. It is an extremely touchy subject. You can't worry if people are touchy about certain things. After all, writers normally get rather touchy about matters of contribution. It's a very touchy subject for me. These issues need to be handled sensitively; some people might be touchy about being probed in this way. Well too bad, touchy people. He gets a bit touchy. And that's before we get to the touchy subject of what you're going to say. The average gondola has cost its owner about 50,000, and he is liable to be a bit touchy about the paintwork. Everyone's a bit touchy about the whole thing so I decided to do a few jokes on the subject. British English :
touchy /
ˈtʌtʃɪ /
ADJECTIVE Touchy people are easily upset or irritated.
She is very touchy about her past.
American English : touchy Arabic : حَسَّاس Brazilian Portuguese : sensitivo Chinese : 暴躁的 Croatian : osjetljiv Czech : nedůtklivý Danish : pirrelig Dutch : overgevoelig European Spanish : susceptible Finnish : herkkänahkainen French : susceptible German : empfindlich Greek : μυγιάγγιχτος Italian : permaloso Japanese : 怒りっぽい Korean : 화를 잘 내는 Norwegian : overfølsom Polish : drażliwy European Portuguese : sensível Romanian : ultrasensibil Russian : чувствительный Latin American Spanish : susceptible Swedish : snarstucken Thai : ฉุนเฉียวโกรธง่าย Turkish : hassas Ukrainian : чутливий Vietnamese : hay giận dỗi Chinese translation of 'touchy' adj [person] 敏感的 (mǐngǎn de) [subject] 棘手的 (jíshǒu de)
Definition
easily upset or irritated
He is very touchy about his past.
Synonyms
oversensitive
crabbed
chippy (informal)
easily offended
captious
pettish
toey (New Zealand , slang)
Opposites
pleasant
, indifferent
, insensitive
, sweet
, cheerful
, easy-going
, good-humoured
, genial , affable
, unconcerned
, imperious
, thick-skinned
, light-hearted
Definition
requiring careful and tactful handling
a touchy subject
Additional synonyms a crusty, bad-tempered, ill-humoured character
Synonyms
irritable ,
cross ,
angry ,
tense ,
crabbed ,
fiery ,
grumbling ,
snarling ,
prickly ,
exasperated ,
edgy ,
snappy ,
sullen ,
touchy ,
surly ,
petulant ,
sulky ,
ill-tempered ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
tooshie (Australian , slang) ,
testy ,
chippy (informal) ,
fretful ,
grouchy (informal) ,
querulous ,
peevish ,
crabby ,
huffy ,
dyspeptic ,
choleric ,
splenetic ,
crotchety (informal) ,
oversensitive ,
snappish ,
ill-humoured ,
liverish ,
narky (British , slang) ,
out of humour
Synonyms
bad-tempered ,
trying ,
difficult ,
cross ,
tough ,
harsh ,
sour ,
cynical ,
tart ,
perverse ,
prickly ,
irritable ,
acrimonious ,
surly ,
petulant ,
churlish ,
acrid ,
morose ,
ill-tempered ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
fretful ,
splenetic ,
captious Definition
angry
Everyone was getting bored and cross.
Synonyms
angry ,
impatient ,
irritable ,
annoyed ,
put out ,
hacked (off) (informal) ,
pissed (taboo , slang) ,
crusty ,
snappy ,
grumpy ,
vexed ,
pissed off (taboo , slang) ,
sullen ,
surly ,
fractious ,
petulant ,
disagreeable ,
short ,
churlish ,
peeved (informal) ,
ill-tempered ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
tooshie (Australian , slang) ,
testy ,
fretful ,
waspish ,
in a bad mood ,
grouchy (informal) ,
querulous ,
shirty (slang , British) ,
peevish ,
splenetic ,
crotchety (informal) ,
snappish ,
ill-humoured ,
liverish ,
captious ,
pettish ,
out of humour ,
hoha (New Zealand)
Additional synonyms Definition
bad-tempered
Grandfather is a grouchy old so-and-so.
Synonyms
bad-tempered ,
cross ,
irritable ,
grumpy ,
discontented ,
grumbling ,
surly ,
petulant ,
sulky ,
ill-tempered ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
querulous ,
peevish ,
huffy ,
liverish Definition
sulky and bad-tempered
I'm always grumpy in the morning.
Synonyms
irritable ,
cross ,
bad-tempered ,
grumbling ,
crabbed ,
edgy ,
surly ,
petulant ,
ill-tempered ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
grouchy (informal) ,
querulous ,
peevish ,
huffy ,
crotchety (informal) ,
liverish ,
sullen ,
sulky Definition
easily angered
He had an irascible temper.
Synonyms
bad-tempered ,
cross ,
irritable ,
crabbed ,
touchy ,
cantankerous ,
peppery ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
chippy (informal) ,
short-tempered ,
hot-tempered ,
quick-tempered ,
choleric ,
narky (British , slang)
Definition
easily annoyed or angered
He had been waiting for an hour and was starting to feel irritable.
Synonyms
bad-tempered ,
cross ,
snappy ,
hot ,
tense ,
crabbed ,
fiery ,
snarling ,
prickly ,
exasperated ,
edgy ,
touchy ,
petulant ,
ill-tempered ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
chippy (informal) ,
fretful ,
peevish ,
crabby ,
dyspeptic ,
choleric ,
crotchety (informal) ,
oversensitive ,
snappish ,
ill-humoured ,
narky (British , slang) ,
out of humour
Definition
extremely difficult or puzzling
The new management team faces some knotty problems.
Synonyms
puzzling ,
hard ,
difficult ,
complex ,
complicated ,
tricky ,
baffling ,
intricate ,
troublesome ,
perplexing ,
mystifying ,
thorny ,
problematical
Definition
fretful or irritable
Lack of sleep always made him peevish.
Synonyms
irritable ,
cross ,
crabbed ,
childish ,
acrimonious ,
crusty ,
snappy ,
grumpy ,
sullen ,
touchy ,
whingeing (informal) ,
surly ,
fractious ,
petulant ,
churlish ,
sulky ,
ill-tempered ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
chippy (informal) ,
fretful ,
short-tempered ,
waspish ,
querulous ,
huffy ,
splenetic ,
crotchety (informal) ,
shrewish ,
liverish ,
captious ,
pettish ,
ill-natured Definition
unreasonably irritable or peevish
He whined like a petulant child.
Synonyms
sulky ,
cross ,
moody ,
sour ,
crabbed ,
impatient ,
pouting ,
perverse ,
irritable ,
crusty ,
sullen ,
bad-tempered ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
fretful ,
waspish ,
querulous ,
peevish ,
ungracious ,
cavilling ,
huffy ,
fault-finding ,
snappish ,
ill-humoured ,
captious Definition
complaining
a querulous male voice
Synonyms
complaining ,
cross ,
discontented ,
grumbling ,
peevish ,
critical ,
sour ,
carping ,
murmuring ,
whining ,
dissatisfied ,
irritable ,
touchy ,
petulant ,
plaintive ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
chippy (informal) ,
fretful ,
waspish ,
censorious ,
grouchy (informal) ,
hard to please ,
fault-finding ,
captious Definition
easy to anger
They are wonderful people, but very quick-tempered.
Synonyms
hot-tempered ,
fiery ,
irritable ,
impatient ,
impulsive ,
excitable ,
petulant ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
quarrelsome ,
waspish ,
choleric ,
splenetic ,
shrewish Definition
cross and irritable
I was beginning to get a bit ratty and fed up.
Synonyms
irritable ,
cross ,
angry ,
annoyed ,
pissed (US , Canadian , slang) ,
crabbed ,
impatient ,
snappy ,
pissed off (taboo , slang) ,
touchy ,
tetchy ,
testy ,
chippy (informal) ,
short-tempered ,
tooshie (Australian , slang)
Additional synonyms It is a very risky business.
Synonyms
dangerous ,
hazardous ,
unsafe ,
perilous ,
uncertain ,
tricky ,
dodgy (British , Australian , New Zealand , informal) ,
precarious ,
touch-and-go ,
dicey (informal , British) ,
fraught with danger ,
chancy (informal) ,
shonky (Australian , New Zealand , informal)
Definition
(of a subject or issue) liable to arouse controversy or strong feelings
Employment is a very sensitive issue.
Synonyms
tricky ,
difficult ,
delicate ,
thorny ,
touchy ,
ticklish Definition
irritable or bad-tempered
retired military men with splenetic opinions
Synonyms
irritable ,
cross ,
bad-tempered ,
acid ,
sour ,
crabbed ,
sullen ,
touchy ,
petulant ,
spiteful ,
bitchy (informal) ,
churlish ,
morose ,
irascible ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
chippy (informal) ,
fretful ,
rancorous ,
peevish ,
crabby ,
choleric ,
envenomed
Definition
difficult or painful
He found himself in a not inconsiderably sticky situation.
Synonyms
difficult ,
awkward ,
tricky ,
embarrassing ,
painful ,
nasty ,
delicate ,
unpleasant ,
discomforting ,
hairy (slang) ,
thorny ,
barro (Australian , slang)
Definition
bad-tempered and rude
He behaves in a surly and rude manner towards me.
Synonyms
ill-tempered ,
cross ,
churlish ,
crabbed ,
perverse ,
crusty ,
sullen ,
gruff ,
bearish ,
sulky ,
morose ,
brusque ,
testy ,
grouchy (informal) ,
curmudgeonly ,
ungracious ,
uncivil ,
shrewish Definition
irritable or touchy
Ben gets testy when he is hungry.
Synonyms
irritable ,
cross ,
grumpy ,
crabbed ,
impatient ,
snappy ,
sullen ,
touchy ,
bad-tempered ,
petulant ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
peppery ,
tetchy ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
quarrelsome ,
chippy (informal) ,
fretful ,
short-tempered ,
waspish ,
peevish ,
quick-tempered ,
splenetic ,
snappish ,
liverish ,
captious Definition
cross, irritable, or touchy
You always get tetchy when you're hungry.
Synonyms
irritable ,
cross ,
grumpy ,
crabbed ,
impatient ,
snappy ,
sullen ,
touchy ,
bad-tempered ,
petulant ,
irascible ,
cantankerous ,
peppery ,
ratty (British , New Zealand , informal) ,
testy ,
quarrelsome ,
chippy (informal) ,
fretful ,
short-tempered ,
waspish ,
peevish ,
quick-tempered ,
splenetic ,
snappish ,
liverish ,
captious Definition
sensitive to criticism or hints
He is too thin-skinned to survive the presidential campaign.
Synonyms
sensitive ,
vulnerable ,
easily hurt ,
touchy ,
soft ,
tender ,
susceptible ,
chippy (informal) ,
hypersensitive ,
quick to take offence
Definition
difficult or unpleasant
the thorny issue of immigration policy
Synonyms
troublesome ,
difficult ,
problematic(al) ,
trying ,
hard ,
worrying ,
tough ,
upsetting ,
awkward ,
unpleasant ,
sticky (informal) ,
harassing ,
irksome ,
ticklish ,
vexatious Definition
delicate or difficult
the ticklish question of the future of the EU
Synonyms
difficult ,
sensitive ,
delicate ,
tricky ,
nice ,
critical ,
uncertain ,
awkward ,
risky ,
unstable ,
thorny ,
touchy ,
unsteady
Additional synonyms Definition
needing careful handling
This could be a very tricky problem.
Synonyms
difficult ,
sensitive ,
complicated ,
delicate ,
risky ,
sticky (informal) ,
hairy (informal) ,
problematic ,
thorny ,
touch-and-go ,
knotty ,
dicey (informal) ,
ticklish