ticklish

[ tik-lish ]

adjective

1. sensitive to tickling.
2. requiring careful or delicate handling or action; difficult or risky; dicey:

   a ticklish situation.

3. extremely sensitive; touchy:

   He is ticklish about being interrupted.

4. unstable or easily upset, as a boat; unsteady.

ticklish

/ ˈtɪklɪʃ /

adjective

1. susceptible and sensitive to being tickled
2. delicate or difficult

   a ticklish situation

3. easily upset or offended

Derived Forms

• ˈticklishness, noun
• ˈticklishly, adverb

Other Words From

• ticklish·ly adverb
• ticklish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ticklish¹

First recorded in 1575–85; tickle + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

How England get him to that point is ticklish.

From BBC

If he can’t bowl at all, then England have the ticklish decision of whether to drop a batter or bowler.

From BBC

The decision on how to handle Anderson is ticklish for England.

From BBC

And it could eventually lead to profound changes throughout corporate America, even as it eases some ticklish problems for the big index fund companies.

From New York Times

When Jack Leach is fit, England have a ticklish selection decision, unless they make good on Brendon McCullum's threat to play all four at the same time.

From BBC

Related Words

• awkward
• delicate
• precarious
• thorny
• touchy
• volatile