tactile
🇺🇸 /ˈtæktɪl/
📖 Definitions
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adjective
Relating to or connected with the sense of touch; perceptible by touch.; Having a keen sense of touch; sensitive to touch.; Tangible; capable of being touched or felt physically.; Relating to the sense of touch as a means of communication or perception, especially in the context of assistive technology.; Of or relating to the sense of touch in a biological or physiological context.
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noun
A tactile sensation or stimulus; something perceived through touch.
🔗 Details
Word forms
Comparative: more tactile
Superlative: most tactile
Collocations
tactile sensationtactile feedbacktactile experiencetactile learnertactile stimulationtactile perception
Derivatives
tactilitytactilely
Synonyms
tangiblepalpablehaptictouch-sensitive
Antonyms
intangible
Commonly confused
tangible
EN: 'Tangible' means perceptible or real in a broader sense (often figurative), while 'tactile' specifically relates to the sense of touch.
tactful
EN: 'Tactful' means diplomatically sensitive in social situations; 'tactile' relates to physical touch.
tactical
EN: 'Tactical' relates to strategy or tactics; 'tactile' relates to the sense of touch.
Spelling tips
EN: Do not confuse 'tactile' (relating to touch) with 'tactful' (diplomatically sensitive) or 'tactical' (relating to strategy). They share the root 'tact-' but have very different meanings.
💬 Examples
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The tactile sensation of silk against her skin was soothing.
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Blind people often develop highly tactile abilities to compensate for their lack of sight.
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The artist preferred working with tactile materials like clay and wood rather than digital tools.
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The device provides tactile feedback to help users navigate without looking at the screen.
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Tactile receptors in the skin detect pressure, vibration, and temperature changes.
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The rough texture of the bark provided an interesting tactile for the child exploring the forest.