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
Example 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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Many fractional leaders work across industries or sign non-compete agreements to avoid working with direct competitors, but companies must establish clear expectations to protect sensitive information.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
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This question asks for personal sensitive information that is protected by privacy laws.—
Terry Parris Jr.,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Stars of Durant’s stature can be notoriously difficult to pin down for interviews.—
Darnell Mayberry,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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But breaking with Russian gas has been difficult for Austria, which until recently was one of a handful of European countries to keep importing the fuel by pipeline.—
Stanley Reed,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The leaders are expected to address the touchy topic of tech-friendly H-1B visas, along with trade and defense.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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Leading with probing questions about touchy topics can make kids more anxious and less likely to open up about the rest of their day, potentially derailing further conversations.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Still, the Steelers have some tough decisions to make for their roster, and the team has already made a big one by letting Smith go.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
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Hot team Playing arguably the toughest schedule in the county, St. Augustine’s boys basketball team started the season 3-12.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This misalignment impairs your sleep and concentration, and can leave you feeling irritable.—
Mackenzie Gamble,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2025
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Here’s one way to take your mind off a certain election that seems to have everyone tense and irritable these days — consider that Tahoe ski season is almost here.—
Randy McMullen,
The Mercury News,
31 Oct. 2024
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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Their final conflict goes down on Silver’s yacht in the middle of the open water, as Silver ridicules Kreese for his complicated relationship with Johnny.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
15 Feb. 2025
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Construed as a pedagogical exercise more than entertainment, the film offers a deep reading into the complicated plurality of the populace that constitutes nations such as Germany.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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While the courts may ultimately strike down the letter’s most problematic provisions, the damage to institutional autonomy and diversity efforts could be lasting.—
Scott White,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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After a flurry of filings, including several unsuccessful attempts at dismissal, one problematic NBC News sit-down featuring the now middle-aged Jane Doe and other media duels, the whole matter was pulled on February 14 by the plaintiff with no explanation by Buzbee.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ticklish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ticklish. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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