1
as in sensitive
easily offended
he's ticklish about his looks, so it's wisest to avoid the subject altogether
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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The exfiltrated data included the following browser files, which can store login cookies, passwords, browsing histories, and other sensitive data.—
Dan Goodin,
Ars Technica,
7 Mar. 2025
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To begin the transition to PQC, assess what of your critical infrastructure deals with high volumes of sensitive data.—
Anurag Lal,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But their happy romance is soon demolished when Jenny reappears in their lives, thrusting all three into a difficult and messy journey towards true accountability and adulthood.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 Mar. 2025
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These protein complexes are highly shape-shifting, making traditional imaging methods very difficult.—
Priyanka Naik,
The Conversation,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Swathes of people across the world grew up with the Shrek films—and that can make sequels released decades after the original (like Shrek 5) a touchy subject.—
Callum Booth,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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The blast of attention falls at a touchy time for Greenland.—
Maya Tekeli,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This all adds up to a tough investment outlook for any business looking at Ukraine’s mineral supply.—
Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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How to Bet Timberwolves vs. Lakers Following up a game like Tuesday's would be tough for the Wolves under any circumstances, but with Edwards battling a calf injury and DiVincenzo potentially sidelined, beating the Lakers in L.A. will be that much more difficult.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Cold exposure is particularly helpful for those who have irritable skin through the constriction of blood vessels, alleviating swelling and flushes.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
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The elderly single mom, played with an irritable, bone-deep bitterness by Irish actor Fiona Shaw, has spent the past few years paralyzed by an illness no one can diagnose.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That rivalry carried over into the UFC as Tate and Rousey coached against each other in a tetchy season of The Ultimate Fighter before Rousey defeated Tate via third-round armbar to retain her UFC bantamweight title at UFC 168.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
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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
Adjective
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To give an idea of the complicated setting: Patrick Baladi plays Andrew, Charlotte’s lawyer husband who is hired as Jess’s defense when she is accused of harming her 10-month-old.—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Feb. 2025
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Although these big chip platforms are complicated to make, Nvidia can apply lessons learned from the Blackwell ramp to future product iterations.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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While many countries, states and major companies have taken steps to ban problematic plastics and set ambitious goals for waste reduction, the collective effort is still falling far short of what's needed to stem the tide of plastic waste.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
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Gold may be a good store of value but can be problematic as a medium of exchange, particularly in breaking deflationary spirals and supporting economic growth.—
Jon Helgi Egilsson,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ticklish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ticklish. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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