# tingle

/ˈtɪŋɡəɫ/ (US) · /tˈɪŋɡəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tingle
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. physical sensation

verb · CEFR B2

to have a feeling like many small needles are lightly touching your skin.

For teachers: to experience a slight prickling or stinging sensation, typically caused by cold, returning circulation, or skin irritation.

- My fingers began to tingle as they warmed up after the long walk in the snow.
- After sitting in the same position for an hour, his foot began to tingle with the familiar sensation of returning blood flow.

Usage: Intransitive; often used with 'with' to describe the cause.

### 2. emotional excitement

verb · CEFR B2

to feel a sudden glow of excitement or fear in your body.

For teachers: to experience a physical manifestation of strong emotion, such as excitement, anticipation, or trepidation.

- She felt her skin tingle with excitement as the lights in the theatre went down.
- The young violinist felt her spine tingle as the conductor raised his baton for the opening notes of the concerto.

### 3. a prickling feeling

noun · CEFR B2

a slight stinging or prickling feeling on your skin or in your body.

For teachers: a prickling or mildly stinging physical sensation; a frisson.

- He felt a slight tingle in his hands when he touched the cold metal.
- A sudden tingle of fear ran down his back when he realized he was being followed through the empty park.

## Examples

- I felt a pleasant tingle on my skin when I touched the cold water.
- The first snow of the season gave her a slight tingle on her cheeks as she walked home.
- The success of the project gave the team a collective tingle of accomplishment that lasted for weeks, boosting their morale and productivity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.