touch

23 synonyms and 1 antonym for touch, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To make physical contact with something using the hand, finger, or another part of the body.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

feel contact handle stroke pat affect spot feeling ghost signature

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

tap brush advert pinch hint

Rare, literary or technical

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

graze allude adjoin mite tinge jot soupcon speck

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To make physical contact with something using the hand, finger, or another part of the body.

“The toddler wanted to touch the cat's fur, but it ran away.”

feel contact tap brush handle stroke graze pat affect advert allude adjoin

2. noun

The sense that allows you to feel things by physical contact.

“Braille relies entirely on the sense of touch.”

spot mite tinge jot soupcon pinch feeling hint ghost speck signature contact

3. noun

A small amount or slight degree of something.

“There was a touch of frost on the grass this morning.”

Opposites

oodles

How to use touch

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

touch base in touch keep in touch a touch of

Etymology

From Old French tochier ("to touch"), traced back through Vulgar Latin and Frankish roots meaning "to strike" or "to grasp" — the same deep root that gave English the word "tuck."

Full origin of touch →

Frequently asked questions

What does “touch” mean?

The word “touch” means to make physical contact with something using the hand, finger, or another part of the body. In plain terms, making physical contact with something, or more broadly, affecting someone emotionally or being in contact/communication with them.

How do you pronounce “touch”?

“Touch” is pronounced tuhch (/tʌt͡ʃ/ in IPA).

How do you use “touch” in a sentence?

Here is “touch” used in a sentence: “She reached out to touch the soft fabric.”

What part of speech is “touch”?

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

Where does the word “touch” come from?

The word “touch” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French tochier ("to touch"), traced back through Vulgar Latin and Frankish roots meaning "to strike" or "to grasp" — the same deep root that gave English the word "tuck.".

Is “touch” a common word?

“Touch” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

How many meanings does “touch” have?

“Touch” has 7 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make physical contact with something using the hand, finger, or another part of the body.

What is the difference between touch and feel?

Touch is the act of making physical contact — your hand meets an object. Feel is the perception that can follow: sensing texture, warmth, or pressure through that contact. You can touch something without paying attention, but to feel it is to notice the sensation. Touch is the action; feel is the awareness.

Is touch one of the five senses?

Yes. Touch is one of the five traditional senses, alongside sight, hearing, taste, and smell. It works through receptors in the skin that detect pressure, temperature, pain, and vibration. Unlike the others, touch is spread across the whole body rather than concentrated in one organ, making it the largest sensory system.

What is an example of touch?

Touch covers any physical contact: tapping a screen, shaking hands, stroking a pet, or resting a hand on someone's shoulder. It can be light or firm, deliberate or accidental. Brushing against a wall as you pass is touching it just as much as pressing a button intentionally.

People also searched

feel feeling contact spot handle affect ghost signature stroke pat tap brush

Nearby words

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