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touching

touching

1 3.4
Making you feel sympathy or sadness
  • adjective
  • /ˈtʌtʃɪŋ/
translation icon : conmovedor
  • So first of all, thank you for sharing this very touching love story.

So I just keep putting on weight and, and it was so touching and peculiar.

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Examples

  • They're funny, they're surprising, they're touching, they're moving.

  • WHAT A TOUCHING SCENE.

  • And it's it's very it's a very, you know, touching little documentary.

  • I'll read you a selection that I find quite touching to Helena.

  • That's why it's so touching, you know, his own story, his own teachings.

  • The movie had a touching ending that made everyone in the audience cry.

  • Her speech was so touching that it moved many people to tears.

  • The touching moment between the father and daughter brought smiles to everyone around.

Synonyms

tender
vstouching
110 1.6

Showing care and kindness in a gentle way

arouses stronger sadness or sympathy rather than gentle warmth
poignant
vstouching
66 6.8

Making you feel very sad or deeply moved

leans more to gentle warmth rather than deep sorrow
moving
vstouching
7 3.3

Causing strong feelings, often sadness

focuses more on gentle warmth than on admiration or praise
affecting
vstouching
4.4

Causing strong feelings of sadness or sympathy

adds gentle warmth or affection beyond mere sadness or pity

Antonyms

11 4.4

Not showing strong feelings

5.5

Not causing strong feelings or interest in people

How Moving

heartbreaking
92 3.7
poignant
66 6.8
touching
1 3.4
moving
7 3.3
tender
110 1.6

Surface Forms

touching positive

Morphology

touching = touch (semi-transparent) = touch + ing

The adjective 'touching' is formed from the verb 'touch' by a metaphorical extension to 'affect emotionally'; the relation is clear but relies on a non-literal sense.

Etymology

The word touching can also mean 'emotionally moving'. This sense comes from the same verb touch — when something 'touches' you it reaches your feelings or 'your heart', so touching describes things that make you feel sympathy or sadness.