touching

[ tuhch-ing ]

adjective

1. affecting; moving; pathetic:

   a touching scene of farewell.

   Synonyms: piteous, poignant, stirring

2. that touches.

   Synonyms: tangent

preposition

1. in reference or relation to; concerning; about:

   He wrote touching future plans.

touching

/ ˈtʌtʃɪŋ /

adjective

1. evoking or eliciting tender feelings

   your sympathy is touching

preposition

1. on the subject of; relating to

Derived Forms

• ˈtouchingness, noun
• ˈtouchingly, adverb

Other Words From

• touching·ly adverb
• touching·ness noun
• un·touching adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of touching¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; touch + -ing ²

Example Sentences

One particular moment is resonating across social media, in which Barrymore, already quite close to Stewart and touching her arms, asks her what makes her "soft and gooey," blasting past Stewart's comfort zone even further by offering the example: "When you're treated like a lady."

From Salon

No talking or touching allowed.

From Los Angeles Times

It's no wonder, when you consider that women are more likely to report ugly or even scary experiences while dating, such as harassment or unwanted touching.

From Salon

The satellite cities of Noida and Gurgaon also registered AQI levels touching the 500 mark.

From BBC

Within minutes of sitting down together, her date began touching her inappropriately.

From BBC

Related Words

• heartbreaking
• pathetic
• poignant
• sad
• stirring
• stunning
• wistful