TOUCHING Synonyms: 320 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'touching' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of touching are affecting , impressive , moving , pathetic , and poignant . While all these words mean "having the power to produce deep emotion," touching implies arousing tenderness or compassion. // the touching innocence in a child's eyes

Q: How are the words 'affecting' and 'moving' related as synonyms of 'touching'?

Affecting is close to moving but most often suggests pathos. // an affecting deathbed reunion

Q: When could 'impressive' be used to replace 'touching'?

While the synonyms impressive and touching are close in meaning, impressive implies compelling attention, admiration, wonder, or conviction. // an impressive list of achievements

Q: When might 'moving' be a better fit than 'touching'?

The words moving and touching can be used in similar contexts, but moving may apply to any strong emotional effect including thrilling, agitating, saddening, or calling forth pity or sympathy. // a moving appeal for contributions

Q: When can 'pathetic' be used instead of 'touching'?

The meanings of pathetic and touching largely overlap; however, pathetic implies moving to pity or sometimes contempt. // pathetic attempts to justify misconduct

Q: Where would 'poignant' be a reasonable alternative to 'touching'?

In some situations, the words poignant and touching are roughly equivalent. However, poignant applies to what keenly or sharply affects one's sensitivities. // a poignant documentary on the homeless

touching 1 of 3

adjective

ˈtə-chiŋ

Definition of touching

as in adjacent

having a border in common touching lots in the housing development will eventually be separated by hedges for privacy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in emotional

having the power to affect the feelings or sympathies a touching movie about two lost animals who try to find their way home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

touching

2 of 3

preposition

as in regarding

having to do with there has been an objection touching the last of the proposed new bylaws

Synonyms & Similar Words

touching

3 of 3

verb

present participle of touch

as in feeling

to come into bodily contact with (something) so as to perceive a slight pressure on the skin be careful not to touch this pan—it's still hot

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in affecting

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response your speech on the true meaning of patriotism touched me deeply

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in marring

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable unfortunately, his insufferable arrogance tends to touch even the good deeds that he does

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in adjoining

to be adjacent to our property touches theirs right where that big elm tree is

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in concerning

to be the business or affair of I don't think this decision touches you, so butt out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word touching distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of touching are affecting, impressive, moving, pathetic, and poignant. While all these words mean "having the power to produce deep emotion," touching implies arousing tenderness or compassion.

the touching innocence in a child's eyes

How are the words affecting and moving related as synonyms of touching?

Affecting is close to moving but most often suggests pathos.

an affecting deathbed reunion

When could impressive be used to replace touching?

While the synonyms impressive and touching are close in meaning, impressive implies compelling attention, admiration, wonder, or conviction.

an impressive list of achievements

When might moving be a better fit than touching?

The words moving and touching can be used in similar contexts, but moving may apply to any strong emotional effect including thrilling, agitating, saddening, or calling forth pity or sympathy.

a moving appeal for contributions

When can pathetic be used instead of touching?

The meanings of pathetic and touching largely overlap; however, pathetic implies moving to pity or sometimes contempt.

pathetic attempts to justify misconduct

Where would poignant be a reasonable alternative to touching?

In some situations, the words poignant and touching are roughly equivalent. However, poignant applies to what keenly or sharply affects one's sensitivities.

a poignant documentary on the homeless

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of touching

Adjective

The Colombian, winner of the 2014 Giro d’Italia and 2016 Vuelta a España, received a touching tribute from the peloton before the race got underway. — Duncan Alexander, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 But unfortunately, touching stories of perseverance do not an episode of Below Deck make. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026

Verb

On campus, students are educated on the importance of not touching or feeding the donkeys, which weigh about 500 pounds and can charge at humans when feeling threatened. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Police also connected him to four other subsequent incidents of forcible touching in the Bronx. — Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for touching

Recent Examples of Synonyms for touching

Adjective

The Irish production and distribution shingle, which specializes in horror and adjacent genre movies, is handling worldwide sales on the film, which recently wrapped principal photography.

— Ed Meza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Neighbors say deer could potentially be impaled, and there’s also the threat of raw sewage backing up into adjacent houses.

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of adjacent

Adjective

Mercury in your 8th House quincunxes Saturn in your sign, bringing private concerns, trust, money, or emotional expectations up against your personal limits.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
Combining comedy and emotional depth with neurodiversity representation at its core, the film, which reached over 4 million viewers on its release on ARD, is an uplifting story of family, second chances and connection.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of emotional

Preposition

Metro Police detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting, and are in contact with the District Attorney’s Office regarding charging decisions.

— Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Oct. 2025
Was any decision made regarding reducing Partey’s media obligations?

— James McNicholas, New York Times, 11 July 2025

Definition of regarding

Verb

Mattel went through several rounds of layoffs over the course of 2025 and into 2026, ultimately affecting nearly 300 employees at the company’s El Segundo headquarters.

— Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
The president and his allies have warned that legal hurdles and uncertainty affecting key projects could dampen investor confidence.

— Martin K.N Siele, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of affecting

Verb

The Trib is withholding Nick’s full name to avoid marring his reputation in the eyes of future employers or others who might run a search on him.

— Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
The latter track takes overt inspiration from Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette, as Jepsen beckons her love to engage in life’s vices with her, like marring bedsheets with fruit stains and dashing nude through the garden.

— Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of marring

Verb

Undeterred, the three friends bought the hotel and adjoining property for $3 million and have since spent over $10 million on renovations and redesign.

— Madeleine Kashkooli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
The film could use a few more such colorful secondary strands adjoining the main conflict, though one subplot involving a maybe-romance between two jaded journalists assigned to the summit is oddly framed and abruptly dropped.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of adjoining

Verb

The Mipcom presentation follows a May ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court concerning the game’s intellectual property rights.

— Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Those admissions could become important evidence in Pulido’s prosecution, although the allegations concerning him have not been tested in court.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of concerning

Cite this Entry

Style

“Touching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touching. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of touching

adjective

preposition

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

deportment

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes