touch on
tuch ON
/tʌtʃ ɒn/
To mention a subject briefly when speaking or writing about something else.
Implies a light, non-detailed mention.
The story behind the word. From the physical act of touching something lightly and briefly. If you 'touch' a surface, you don't stay there; you move on quickly.
Word relationships
- allude to: 'Allude to' means to mention something indirectly; 'touch on' is direct but brief.
- elaborate: To provide great detail about a subject.
Commonly confused with
- dwell on: 'Dwell on' means to talk or think about something for a very long time, usually something negative.
Collocations
- touch on a subject
- briefly touch on
- touch on a theme
Example sentences
- "The professor touched on the history of the region but didn't go into detail." A lecture summary.
- "We should touch on the budget today, but let's save the full discussion for next week." A business meeting.
Memory hook
Imagine your finger quickly tapping a map before moving to the next city. A light tap of a topic.
When not to use
Don't use it if you are going to discuss the topic for a long time; use 'delve into' or 'examine' instead.
Fun facts
- In the 17th century, 'touch on' was often used by sailors to mean 'to stop briefly at a port'.
Related words
Explore more words
take a look, Expatiate, interject, momentary, outline, occasional
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