tickle

verb

Definition of ticklenext
1
as in to itch

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2
as in to excite

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Dissimilar Words

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 tickle Sometimes there was laughter from girls who were pinching or tickling each other. — Annie Ernaux, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 There are also a few other flavors that might tickle your fancy. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026 As mentioned, Kate is a gifted musician herself and has tickled the ivories at several public appearances, including her annual Christmas carol service. — Tessa Petak, InStyle, 23 May 2026 The woozy, choppily edited party sequence, featuring lots of handheld, cellphone-style footage and glassy slow-motion interludes, clearly illustrates the camaraderie and profound affection between the five main characters, who tease and tickle one another like sportive, overgrown puppies. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tickle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tickle
  1. itch
  2. excite
  3. tingle
  4. amuse
  5. sting
  6. titillate
  7. bore
  8. satiate
Verb
  • The uphill climb continues for the Chargers, who play at Seattle on Sunday, with the defending Super Bowl champions itching to respond to an upset loss at Washington in Week 3.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Donovan knew the right man was Colonel Florimond Duke, a top executive officer who was itching to go behind enemy lines.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of itch
Verb
  • Other nuclei have energy gaps that are too large for lasers to excite.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Interesting in a good way that actually excited me for where Taylor could go next sonically and lyrically?
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of excite
Verb
  • Your spidey-senses start tingling as the game winds down, and something just tells you to start rolling the camera.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • His legs and feet have begun to regain some feeling and tingling sensations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of tingle
Verb
  • This kind of conversation always leaves me half-amused, half-terrified.
    — Alicja Turczyk, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026
  • With these four words, Courtney O’Donnell gave zillennials a brain-rot character to call their own, a dash of midsummer Dada to amuse people getting nothing done on their computers.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of amuse
Verb
  • Indy struggled against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in its season opener, then took a stinging 33-30 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
    — Elise Devlin, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • General Mills spun off Darden Restaurants in 1995, and then Darden sold Red Lobster in 2014, in a deal with the private equity firm Golden Gate Capital that still stings many veterans to this day.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of sting
Verb
  • Brands today need nuance to be titillating—nudity and provocation are too available.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026
  • So there’s a lot for Mark to be titillated by in that moment.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of titillate
Verb
  • Powerful cutters have whirred to life on a giant drill that will begin boring a new train tunnel under the Hudson River connecting Manhattan to New Jersey.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The twin tubes, bored at a rate of roughly 30 feet per day, will take about a year to dig.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of bore
Verb
  • Supplies will eventually catch up, and demand will become more satiated.
    — Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Sep. 2026
  • To satiate appetites, silver platters of sliders, sushi, and mini pigs in a blanket made their way around the room, as did little bathtubs filled with French fries—perhaps another clue for the upcoming series?
    — Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of satiate

Browse Nearby Words

ticking off
tickle
tickled
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Cite this Entry

“Tickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tickle. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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