touch

when objects or surfaces are placed so closely that they meet or press against each other, leaving no space in between

• meet

  can suggest intentional contact or two surfaces coming together at a point

• adjoin

  more formal; implies surfaces are next to each other and in contact over a length

• connect

  implies joining or linking; often used for parts designed to fit together

• separate

  implies a gap or distance between things

to cause harm to someone or damage to something, especially by moving, handling, or coming into contact with it in a way that spoils or alters it

• damage

  more direct; does not require physical contact ('rain damaged the roof')

• spoil

  suggests ruining the appearance or quality of something

• harm

  broader; can apply to people, health, or reputation

• protect

  implies keeping something safe from harm

• preserve

  implies maintaining something in its original condition

to consume food or drink, particularly when one chooses not to have any of a given type — this sense almost always appears in negated statements

• eat

  neutral and direct; works in any context

• drink

  specific to liquids, while 'touch' covers both food and drink

• consume

  more formal; covers both eating and drinking

to affect someone emotionally, especially by making them feel sympathy, sadness, or warm feelings — for example, a kind act, a sad story, or a beautiful piece of music that makes you feel moved

• move

  very similar; both 'moved' and 'touched' imply emotional impact, but 'move' can be stronger

• affect

  broader; can be positive, negative, or neutral

• stir

  suggests arousing a deep emotional response, often with lasting effect

• leave cold

  idiom meaning to fail to affect someone emotionally

to equal the standard of quality or skill of another person or thing — this sense nearly always occurs within a negated clause, stating that one thing cannot match another

• match

  more neutral; can be used in positive and negative sentences

• rival

  suggests being nearly as good; slightly more formal

• equal

  implies reaching exactly the same standard

• surpass

  implies being better than someone or something

• exceed

  implies going beyond a standard or limit

a mild case of an illness that is not serious enough to be fully developed or cause major problems

• hint of

  less common for illness; more often about flavour or quality

a small extra feature, detail, or addition that improves the overall quality, appearance, or effect of something

• detail

  more neutral; does not carry the same positive connotation of improvement

• flourish

  a more dramatic or decorative touch, often in writing or performance

to a small degree; used as an adverb before adjectives or comparatives to mean 'a little' or 'slightly'

• slightly

  more neutral and more common in all registers; less idiomatic than 'a touch'

• a bit

  same register and meaning; 'a bit' is more widely used across dialects

one of the five physical senses; the ability to perceive contact, pressure, texture, or temperature through the skin

• tactile sense

  more technical or scientific term; less common in everyday speech

the way a surface feels to the skin, described by adjectives such as smooth, rough, soft, sticky, or cold

• feel

  more general and slightly more common than 'touch' for describing texture

• texture

  focuses on the surface structure rather than the sensory experience

a brief, light act of placing a hand or other body part onto a surface and lifting it away again

• tap

  a sharper, quicker touch, often with the fingertips

• stroke

  a longer, softer touching movement, such as gliding the hand over a surface

• brush

  a very light touch that barely makes contact, like something passing by

the condition of reaching and hearing from someone regularly by phone, email, letter, or in person

• contact

  a more general term; 'be in contact with' can be used similarly but sounds slightly more formal

• communication

  broader meaning that covers the exchange itself rather than the state of being connected

the state of no longer communicating with someone, typically because of distance, time, or changing circumstances

• out of contact

  similar meaning but less common in everyday speech; sounds more formal

• in touch

  the opposite state — currently communicating with someone

• in contact

  the opposite state of being connected

a noticeable skill, talent, or characteristic way of doing something, especially when done well or with sensitivity

• knack

  a natural ability to do something well, often without formal training

• skill

  a broader term for learned ability; 'touch' adds the idea of style or sensitivity

• flair

  a stylish or elegant way of doing things, emphasising creativity over technique

in football and other ball sports, a player's skill in controlling the ball's movement, often with the feet or hands, to keep it close and direct it accurately

• control

  broader term for managing the ball; 'touch' adds the nuance of precision and feel

the area outside the long sidelines of a football, rugby, or hockey pitch, where the ball is considered out of play

• sidelines

  the lines themselves rather than the area beyond them

used in the expressions 'in touch' and 'out of touch' to describe whether someone's understanding of a topic or situation is current and accurate, or has become outdated.

• up-to-date

  focuses on having the most recent information, less about depth of understanding

• informed

  having good and accurate knowledge, slightly more formal

• knowledgeable

  having thorough understanding, but does not specifically imply recency

• uninformed

  lacking information; can be about a single topic rather than a general disconnect

• unfamiliar

  not knowing something well, but may never have known it at all

• disconnected

  suggests a separation from a community or field