touchy-feely
adjective
: characterized by or encouraging interpersonal touching especially in the free expression of emotions
touchy-feely therapy
also
: openly or excessively emotional and personal
gets all touchy-feely with his adoring fans
Examples of touchy-feely in a Sentence
she is too touchy-feely and he is too stiff-upper-lip for their relationship to ever work out
Recent Examples on the Web
But these touchy-feely white parents were doing something right, because their kids — my classmates — had poise.
—
Jane Park, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
If that strikes you as twee or downright silly, Olivia Newman‘s touchy-feely weepie is not on your wavelength.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 May 2026
Based, pretty bizarrely, on some light verse by T. S. Eliot, the original production, with its treacly pop-rock score, was set inside a junk yard full of touchy-feely showoffs in kitten ears, competing to reach the Heaviside Layer, a celestial MacGuffin.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
That’s in contrast with Andrew’s lexicon of touchy-feely claptrap, all seemingly declarations of support and empathy but, ultimately, hollow.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Alonso wasn’t a touchy-feely boss.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Excuse the cynicism, but this is the sort of combination of touchy-feely button-pushing and self-conscious peculiarity that’s meant to seem significant and profound that will bring out your inner rom-com Grinch.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
Looser, more touchy-feely styles include gentle parenting and freestyle parenting.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 19 Aug. 2025
The image of her cutting a snake in half with her shovel doesn’t conjure up a touchy-feely woman.
—Marc Berman
august 15, Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jane Park, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
If that strikes you as twee or downright silly, Olivia Newman‘s touchy-feely weepie is not on your wavelength.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 May 2026
Based, pretty bizarrely, on some light verse by T. S. Eliot, the original production, with its treacly pop-rock score, was set inside a junk yard full of touchy-feely showoffs in kitten ears, competing to reach the Heaviside Layer, a celestial MacGuffin.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
That’s in contrast with Andrew’s lexicon of touchy-feely claptrap, all seemingly declarations of support and empathy but, ultimately, hollow.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Alonso wasn’t a touchy-feely boss.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Excuse the cynicism, but this is the sort of combination of touchy-feely button-pushing and self-conscious peculiarity that’s meant to seem significant and profound that will bring out your inner rom-com Grinch.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
Looser, more touchy-feely styles include gentle parenting and freestyle parenting.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 19 Aug. 2025
The image of her cutting a snake in half with her shovel doesn’t conjure up a touchy-feely woman.
—Marc Berman
august 15, Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Touchy-feely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchy-feely. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
