tickle

7 synonyms for tickle, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To touch someone lightly and repeatedly in a way that causes laughter, twitching, or discomfort.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

thrill

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

vibrate vellicate kittle titillate titillation tickling

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To touch someone lightly and repeatedly in a way that causes laughter, twitching, or discomfort.

“She tickled the baby's feet until he burst out giggling.”

vibrate vellicate thrill kittle titillate

2. noun

The act or sensation of being tickled.

“He felt a tickle at the back of his throat.”

titillation tickling

How to use tickle

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

tickle someone's feet tickle your fancy a tickle in the throat

Etymology

From Middle English tiklen, of uncertain origin — possibly linked to "tick" (a light touch) plus the frequentative ending "-le", meaning "to touch lightly again and again."

Full origin of tickle →

Frequently asked questions

What does “tickle” mean?

The word “tickle” means to touch someone lightly and repeatedly in a way that causes laughter, twitching, or discomfort. In plain terms, touching someone lightly to make them laugh or squirm, or more loosely, something that amuses or pleases you.

How do you pronounce “tickle”?

“Tickle” is pronounced TIHKL (/ˈtɪkl̩/ in IPA).

How do you use “tickle” in a sentence?

Here is “tickle” used in a sentence: “She tickled the baby's feet until he burst out giggling.”

What is another word for “tickle”?

Words with a similar meaning to “tickle” include kittle.

What part of speech is “tickle”?

Depending on how it is used, “tickle” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “tickle” come from?

The word “tickle” comes from Middle English. From Middle English tiklen, of uncertain origin — possibly linked to "tick" (a light touch) plus the frequentative ending "-le", meaning "to touch lightly again and again.".

Is “tickle” a common word?

“Tickle” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “tickle” have?

“Tickle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to touch someone lightly and repeatedly in a way that causes laughter, twitching, or discomfort.

People also searched

thrill kittle vibrate tickling titillation

Nearby words

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