ticklish — sensitive to being tickled; easily made to laugh when touched lightly
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: sensitive to being tickled; easily made to laugh when touched lightly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈtɪklɪʃ/
Example Sentences
- My little brother is so ticklish that he starts giggling before you even touch him!
- The topic of who ate the last pizza slice became quite ticklish during our roommate meeting.
- She avoided the ticklish question about her age by changing the subject.
ticklish
ADJECTIVE[/ˈtɪklɪʃ/]
sensitive to being tickled; easily made to laugh when touched lightly

He's so ticklish that even a light poke makes him burst out laughing.

Prickly touches make the ticklish child jump quickly!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From the verb 'tickle' (of uncertain origin, possibly from Middle English and imitative in nature) combined with the suffix '-ish' (meaning 'having the quality of' or 'somewhat'). The word emerged in English around the 16th century.
Breakdown
tickle (to touch lightly causing laughter) + -ish (having the quality of) = ticklish (sensitive to tickling; easily amused)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My little brother is so ticklish that he starts giggling before you even touch him!”
“The topic of who ate the last pizza slice became quite ticklish during our roommate meeting.”
“She avoided the ticklish question about her age by changing the subject.”
“Negotiating with both angry customers requires handling this ticklish situation carefully.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.