Touch Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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touch

[tʌtʃ ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Verb}

physical contact

To come into or be in contact with something. To handle or feel something. To affect or move emotionally. To make a connection with someone or something.

Synonyms

affect, contact, feel, handle, move.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
touch	Used when referring to physical contact or lightly connecting with something. It can also be metaphorical, dealing with emotions or influence. She reached out to touch the soft fabric. His words really touched her heart.
contact	Typically used when referring to communication or physical connection with someone or something, often implying an intentional action. Please contact me if you have any questions. She made contact with the surface of the water.
handle	Used when referring to physically manipulating or dealing with objects, or managing situations or responsibilities. It implies a degree of control or care. You need to handle the equipment carefully. He knows how to handle stressful situations.
feel	Can be used to describe the physical sensation of touching something, or to express emotions and subjective experiences. Feel the texture of this fabric. I feel happy today.
affect	Used to describe something having an influence or impact on a situation, person, or thing. It is often used in a more formal context and implies a change or alteration. The weather can affect our plans for the picnic. His negative attitude affected the team's performance.
move	Used to describe changing the position of something or causing something to change place. It can also have emotional or motivational connotations. She asked him to move the chair. The movie's ending moved him to tears.

Examples of usage

Please do not touch the artwork in the museum.
She touched the fabric to feel its softness.
The movie touched my heart with its powerful message.
He touched base with his colleagues before starting the project.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

sense of touch

The sense by which contact with objects gives evidence to the mind of their physical properties. The act of feeling something with the skin, especially with the hands.

Synonyms

feeling, sense of touch, tactile sense.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
touch	In some contexts, it might mean to come into physical or metaphorical contact with someone or something, potentially involving closeness or emotion. The story touched her deeply Please don’t touch the artwork
sense of touch	The ability of the body to perceive physical sensations such as pressure, warmth, or pain through the skin. His sense of touch was extremely sensitive; he could feel the smallest changes in texture Losing his sense of touch in his fingers made playing the guitar difficult
feeling	Refers to both physical sensation and emotional state. I have a strange feeling in my arm She had a feeling of happiness when she saw her family
tactile sense	Scientific or technical term for the sense of touch, often used in medical or educational contexts. Children can develop their tactile sense through play with different textures The research focused on how aging affects the tactile sense

Examples of usage

The blind rely on their sense of touch to navigate the world.
The baby explored the texture of the toy with her sense of touch.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'touch'

The word 'touch' originated from the Old French word 'tochier', which meant 'to handle, to play'. It has evolved over time to encompass various meanings related to physical contact, emotional connection, and sensory perception.

Word Frequency Rank

This word ranks #1,926, placing it within important intermediate vocabulary. Learning it will significantly improve your ability to express yourself in English.

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1923 zone
1924 strategy
1925 removal
1926 touch
1927 leads
1928 sexual
1929 supplied
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