1
as in sensitive
easily offended
he's ticklish about his looks, so it's wisest to avoid the subject altogether
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
trying to tell him that his zipper is down without embarrassing him will be a ticklish task
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ticklish
In practice, the last of these—which sounds tame, and which refers to the number of people who will be affected by the act—is probably the most morally ticklish, as any secondhand smoker can confirm.
—
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
This is a ticklish subject, to be sure.
—Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 6 Oct. 2022
What keeps Sandy from jumping turns out to be one of Row’s cleverest, most ticklish plot devices.
—John Domini, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2023
These flip-flops just feel good — if your feet aren't ticklish, that is.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ticklish 
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
This is a ticklish subject, to be sure.
—Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 6 Oct. 2022
What keeps Sandy from jumping turns out to be one of Row’s cleverest, most ticklish plot devices.
—John Domini, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2023
These flip-flops just feel good — if your feet aren't ticklish, that is.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ticklish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ticklish
Adjective
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The members of the panel, known as CFIUS, had similar concerns about Grindr to the ones lawmakers have about TikTok — that the app could be used to give the Chinese government access to sensitive data about Americans, including their locations and dating preferences.—
Meaghan Tobin,
New York Times,
18 Jan. 2025
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Authoritarian regimes should not have unfettered access to millions of Americans’ sensitive data.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Simplifying Complexity Through Narratives Leaders often need to communicate complex strategies or concepts, which can be difficult for teams to fully grasp.—
Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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The emotional weight of losing that independence is difficult to quantify, but its impact is profound.—
John Hope Bryant,
TIME,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Stewart Mandel parsed out a difficult — and touchy — topic.—
Chris Branch,
The Athletic,
12 July 2024
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The amphitheater is a touchy issue for another reason.—
Gary Robbins,
The Mercury News,
21 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Bridges finished with 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field against his old team, and Anunoby scored 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field to go with tough defense on Johnson, who shot an abysmal 6-of-20 from the field for 16 points.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
22 Jan. 2025
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Whether you’re drawn to stories of resilience, advocacy, or how laughter and love can help us through life’s toughest moments, this film will leave you inspired and hopeful.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Coupled with erratic blood sugar levels – often caused by diets high in refined sugars and low in nutrients – these energy dips and spikes can leave you feeling irritable and drained.—
Lina Begdache,
The Conversation,
7 Jan. 2025
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This can contribute to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, and irritable mood.—
Rosanna Sutherby, PharmD,
Verywell Health,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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When Southampton’s Duje Caleta-Car was dismissed in January 2023 in the first leg of a tetchy Carabao Cup semi-final, Murphy waved him on his way.—
George Caulkin,
The Athletic,
6 Jan. 2025
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Boos rang around an increasingly tetchy Goodison at the end of Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Brentford, a game in which Everton had a player advantage for 56 minutes including additional time but could not muster enough quality to win.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
24 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Yet, disentangling cartel operations from U.S. interests in Mexico could be immensely complicated.—
Maria Abi-Habib,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
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However, these breakthroughs come with inherent hazards, such as adversaries misusing AI, ethical issues and the difficulty of preserving transparency in complicated systems.—
Rohan Pinto,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Dismantling problematic beliefs and cultural behaviors requires intentional efforts to build trust, foster innovation and align values.—
Thomas Lim,
Forbes,
14 Jan. 2025
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Now, a Kenyan company is turning the problematic plant into a bioplastic that could help with reforestation efforts.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
12 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ticklish
Cite this Entry
“Ticklish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ticklish. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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