to tickle

Examples

• All

• Puzzles, problems, things that are going to tickle your brain, make you smarter.

• But no matter what mood you're in, I trust that this will tickle your fancy.

• This is just to tickle your thinking about this issue.

• I knew it would tickle your fancy.

  Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

• The attention in the time and the care to go make that comment is what just tickles me so much.

• All of this, I have to confess, tickles my heart.

• Trump's dreams, it really, really tickled my heart.

• I don't know what it is about crew necks that really tickles my fancy, but it does.

  Lauren Curtis

• It is like these little puzzles and a great joke kind of tickles your brain in a new way.

• Mark Southard, APSA, says, "The Crossing Sign just tickled my funny bone."

  Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

E

to excite

vsto tickle

331 2.7

To make someone feel very happy, interested, or eager

is sudden and intense in sensation or emotion rather than gradual

T

to thrill

vsto tickle

201 2.1

To give a sudden strong feeling of excitement and pleasure

focuses more on amusement or intense sensation rather than pleasure

S

to set pulses racing

vsto tickle

• Informal

1 6.0

To make someone feel very excited, often suddenly

emphasizes sudden intense emotion rather than bodily racing

T

to tickle pink

vsto tickle

• Informal

1 6.3

Feel very happy and amused by something someone does

is sudden and intense in feeling rather than only long pleasure

T

to titillate

vsto tickle

1 8.4

Touch lightly so the skin feels tickled or moves a little

is about sudden intense emotion or amusement rather than physical touch

T

to tickle someone's pickle

vsto tickle

• Slang

9.9

Make someone feel very happy and amused

is a neutral expression for sudden intense amusement or emotion

T

to tickle someone's funny bone

vsto tickle

• Informal

6.9

To make someone laugh or feel amused

is sudden intense sensation or emotion rather than only laughter

Antonyms

D

to disappoint

492 1.0

Fail to do what someone hoped for

B

to bore

15 1.4

To make someone feel tired or not interested by being dull when you speak

Idioms

T

to tickle pink

• Informal

1 6.3

Feel very happy and amused by something someone does

T

to tickle the ear

7.3

To please someone with nice sounds like music or soft words

T

to tickle someone's funny bone

• Informal

6.9

To make someone laugh or feel amused

T

to tickle someone's pickle

• Slang

9.9

Make someone feel very happy and amused

Phrasal Verbs

T

to tickle someone's nose

4.3

To make a person's nose feel slightly itchy so they want to sneeze

T

to tickle someone's tummy

7.2

Touch someone's belly lightly in a playful way to make them laugh

Compounds

S

slap and tickle

• NSFW

2 8.9

Playful touching between people who are flirting

How Amusing

to thrill

201 2.1

to tickle

51 1.8

to amuse

153 1.4

to interest

206 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology