touchy
adj.adj. describing someone who gets angry or upset very easily. You use this when a person is sensitive about a specific topic and reacts badly if you mention it.
adj. easily offended or upset; hypersensitive. Often describes a person's temperament or a delicate subject that requires careful handling.
He is very touchy about his height.
Be careful what you say to her today; she is a bit touchy because she didn't sleep well.
The CEO is notoriously touchy regarding questions about the company's recent stock performance, so the PR team usually vets all interview topics in advance.
A variant of earlier tetchy (“cranky, easily annoyed, difficult to handle”), under influence from some senses of touch (“affect, disturb”) and simulating touch + -y.
Often follows a linking verb like 'be', 'get', or 'become'. Frequently paired with the preposition 'about'.
He is touchy with his age.He is touchy about his age.When describing the specific topic that causes the sensitivity, 'about' is the standard preposition used with this adjective.