1 B1 neutral
To make minor repairs or improvements to the surface appearance of something.
"The decorator came back to touch up a few patches where the paint had chipped."
separable
touch up
B1 neutral separable transitive
To make small improvements or repairs to the appearance of something, or informally to inappropriately touch someone.
In plain English
To fix small problems with how something looks, or (rude) to touch someone without permission.
What does "touch up" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To improve a photograph, image, or piece of artwork by making small digital or manual corrections.
"She spent an hour touching up the photos from the wedding before sending them to the clients."
separable
3 B1 neutral
To apply or reapply make-up or cosmetics to refresh one's appearance.
"She slipped away before the speeches to touch up her lipstick."
separable
4 B2 idiomatic informal
(British informal, offensive) To touch someone in a sexual way without their consent.
"He was dismissed from his job after a colleague accused him of touching her up."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To touch something lightly in order to improve it.
Actually means
To fix small problems with how something looks, or (rude) to touch someone without permission.
Usage tip
In its standard sense, 'touch up' refers to minor cosmetic improvements — repainting a small area, correcting a photo, or refreshing make-up. In British English, the informal sense of inappropriately touching someone is well-known and should be learned as a false-friend risk. Context usually makes the intended meaning clear.
Words that pair with "touch up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
paint photo make-up image wall paintwork
How to conjugate "touch up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
touch up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
touches up
he/she/it
Past simple
touched up
yesterday
Past participle
touched up
have + pp
-ing form
touching up
continuous
Hear "touch up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "touch up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "touch up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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