touchy
/ˈtʌtʃi/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈʌtʃi] /ˈtʌtʃi/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈʌtʃi] /ˈtə-chē How to pronounce touchy (audio)/ (ame, mw)
touchy — adjective
- touchypositive
- touchiercomparative
- touchiestsuperlative
1. Someone who is touchy gets hurt or annoyed by small remarks, jokes, or criticism
Someone who is touchy gets hurt or annoyed by small remarks, jokes, or criticism and reacts more sharply than most people would.
Benjamin gets touchy when anyone jokes about his height at family dinners.
get touchy when + clause naming the trigger
Diya sounded touchy after the coach questioned her effort in practice.
sound touchy after criticism
Even a gentle joke about money makes Mathieu touchy.
The customer grew touchy as staff checked his bag again.
Ava became touchy when her brother called her paintings childish.
- sensitive
broader and less sharp; it can be negative or positive
- thin-skinned
informal and more critical; suggests even mild comments hurt
- irritable
focuses more on bad temper than on feeling insulted
- easygoing
not easily upset by remarks or small problems
- thick-skinned
informal; not easily hurt by criticism
文法句型
be touchy about + noun
get/become touchy when + clause
用法筆記
Often used with 'about' to name the sore point: someone can be touchy about money, age, or criticism. It is more informal and usually sharper in tone than 'sensitive'.
常見錯誤
2. A touchy subject or situation can quickly cause embarrassment, anger, or argumen
A touchy subject or situation can quickly cause embarrassment, anger, or argument, so it needs tact and careful handling.
The divorce is a touchy subject, so Folake changed the topic.
a touchy subject
Asking about age can be touchy at a first meeting.
be touchy when the question may offend someone
Ryo knew pay was a touchy issue after the failed merger.
The budget discussion is touchy because several jobs may disappear.
Housing policy remains touchy in the coastal town after last year's flood.
- delicate
slightly less informal; stresses the need for tact
- sensitive
more neutral and common in formal writing
- controversial
stronger; suggests open disagreement rather than personal discomfort
- safe
unlikely to upset or embarrass anyone
- straightforward
easy to discuss without special tact
文法句型
a touchy subject/topic/issue
be touchy to discuss
用法筆記
Usually appears with nouns such as 'subject', 'topic', 'issue', or 'matter'. It often describes something socially delicate rather than technically difficult.