hit/strike/touch a nerve

idiom

: to make someone feel angry, upset, embarrassed, etc.

Something she said to him must have hit/struck/touched a nerve. I've never seen him so angry.

His controversial column might have hit a (raw/sensitive) nerve with some readers.

Examples of hit/strike/touch a nerve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

This seemed to strike a nerve in Pickens, who made a not-dissimilar catch during this week's Monday Night Football, in which the Steelers defeated the New York Giants 26-18. —

Nathan Kamal, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 The song played a pivotal part in Gaga: Five Foot Two, her 2017 Netflix documentary, where its mixed reception seemed to strike a nerve with her. —

Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024 Tapestry became a whole new kind of pop blockbuster, a confessional statement that hit a nerve with fans, staying on the charts year after year. —

Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2024 But his act of dissent hit a nerve among his countrymen. —

Han Zhang, The New Yorker, 11 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for hit/strike/touch a nerve

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“Hit/strike/touch a nerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit%2Fstrike%2Ftouch%20a%20nerve. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

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