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# touchy

adjective (touchy, touchier, touchiest)

«touchy» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A touchy person gets upset or annoyed very easily. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#m1)
2. A touchy subject is one that needs to be talked about carefully because it can upset people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and stories, "touchy" describes someone in a bad mood or sensitive about something, which tells the reader to be careful around them. In adult life, money, religion or someone's weight can be touchy subjects. Phrases: "touchy about", "a touchy subject", "touchy-feely" (informal: showing feelings a lot).

### Examples

- Dad is a bit touchy about his bald patch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#x1)
- Be careful — Mia is touchy today because she lost the match. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#x2)
- Money is a touchy subject in our house. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#x3)
- Why are you so touchy? I was only joking! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#x4)
- The cat is touchy and scratches if you stroke its tummy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#x5)
- (informal) Our new teacher is very touchy-feely and hugs everyone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#x6)
- "Well, then, why do you lie in my way?" she retorted, "you must not be so touchy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/#x7)

### Note

Comparative: touchier, touchiest. It is informal; more formal words are "sensitive" or "irritable". "Touchy" does not mean "likes touching"; that is "touchy-feely" (informal).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «touchy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/touchy/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«touchy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/touchy.html) on Mova free.