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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Concerns have been raised about DOGE operatives, many with ties to Musk's companies, gaining access to sensitive government data without adequate oversight or experience.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Cooling, calming, and tailor-made for sensitive skin, this mask drapes delicately across your face to deliver a serious hit of cica (Centella asiatica) and allantoin—soothing redness and dryness in minutes.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Third, operational command of Kamikaze planes is difficult because results cannot be evaluated with any accuracy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Instead, the major drama comes in the form of Ivy’s corruption by her acting coach, as Ivy gradually goes method and becomes as difficult to work with as Marilyn was (one of this musical’s many meta moments).—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Black audiences have so few representative characters on screen, and Black womanhood alone is so touchy.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Manual focus is responsive, too, if a little bit touchy.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But the Lotus ladies will have some tough competition, including seven-time winner Allison Janney, two-time winner Patricia Arquette, and potential double nominee Kaitlyn Dever.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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What tough lessons does Cole learn through the process of getting involved with a patient this season?—
Max Gao,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Social media makes us into irritable toddlers.—
Jaron Lanier,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
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Strong winds also may have North Texans feeling more irritable, which scientists blame on there being too many positive ions in the air.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At least, that’s how a plurality of Americans perceive the tetchy state of our union.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2025
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Trading was tetchy at first, floating between flat and a 1.5 percent gain.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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President Donald Trump’s tariffs aim to bring jobs and factories back to the U.S., but the reality is more complicated.—
Bruce Gil,
Quartz,
4 Apr. 2025
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Any hedge fund or investment bank with an ability to do some complicated hedges is in a position to jump into the fray.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Building a Sustainable Future Compression of organizational hierarchies isn't inherently problematic, but the failure to address the human and operational needs that middle managers traditionally meet certainly is.—
Tracy Lawrence,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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This could be problematic when vitamin B12 deficiency persists, resulting in neurological damage.1 Vitamin B12 is more common in older adults.—
Jennifer Lefton, MS, RD/N, CNSC, FAND,
Verywell Health,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ticklish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ticklish. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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