afraid of touching vs afraid to touch

Both "afraid of touching" and "afraid to touch" are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "Afraid of touching" is used when the fear is related to the action of touching itself, while "afraid to touch" is used when the fear is related to the consequences or outcomes of touching.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 1430 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"afraid of touching"

This phrase is used when the fear is related to the action of touching itself. It indicates a fear or aversion towards the act of physically making contact with something or someone.

Examples:

She is afraid of touching spiders.
He is afraid of touching the hot stove.
The child is afraid of touching the snake.
I am afraid of touching raw meat.
They are afraid of touching the unknown object.

Show examples from the web [+]

'Cause he's a physician, he's not afraid of touching sick guys.
You were afraid of women touching you.
Afraid of me touching the kid?
Great combination of touching sentiment and TMI.
I liked the feeling of touching animals best.
I want to pioneer the art of touching.
I want to work with you to pioneer the art of touching.
I couldn't bear the idea of touching his hand.
It's a completely different way of touching.
But there was a lot of touching.
I would never dream of touching your family.
I did not like Varinius of touching it.
We'll find the right level of touching.
That's not the kind of touching I meant.
He's got curly grey hair, wouldn't dream of touching it up.
But he can't bear to pass me in the hallway for fear of touching me.
I don't have any memories of touching my dad's hand, or what my mom smells like.
Study instead of touching people's humps!
After thinking about it I realized that the art of touching is really quite an interesting concept.
It felt like everyone who ever made the mistake of touching Ali was there that night.

Alternatives:

scared of touching
fearful of touching
terrified of touching

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"afraid to touch"

This phrase is used when the fear is related to the consequences or outcomes of touching. It indicates a fear or reluctance to physically make contact with something or someone due to the potential negative results.

Examples:

She is afraid to touch the spider in case it bites her.
He is afraid to touch the hot stove because it might burn him.
The child is afraid to touch the snake out of fear of being bitten.
I am afraid to touch raw meat because of contamination.
They are afraid to touch the unknown object for fear of what it might be.

Show examples from the web [+]

I was afraid to touch the death seen in her.
I'm still afraid to touch anybody.
I'm afraid to touch anything.
We don't want them to be afraid to touch the goods.
She cries so much, she's afraid to touch her Kids.
Don't be afraid to touch a star
Skip's been at home in hiding ever since, Afraid to touch anyone.
And now, I'm afraid to touch another woman.
I should be afraid to touch anything'.
I'm afraid to touch anything, but it's beautiful.
Danara, I was never afraid to touch you.
You're afraid to touch me, and it's all my fault.
His whole system's so complicated, I'm afraid to touch it myself.
After what happened to Floyd, I'm afraid to touch it, except to turn it over to somebody else.
Don't be afraid to touch it and become one with it!
Stand closer, what, you are afraid to touch me?
are you afraid to touch it?
I'm afraid to touch him.
If we had the OgIa and the ReIora as our allies, the others would be afraid to touch us.

Alternatives:

scared to touch
reluctant to touch
hesitant to touch

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Why choose TextRanch?

Complete Privacy

Your texts are safe and secure with us. We never share your information with third parties.

Affordable Pricing

No subscription fees and rates up to 50% cheaper than other online editing services.

100% Satisfaction

We guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the quality of our service or your money back.

Top Customer Service

Our team is here to help you with any questions you may have. Contact us anytime.

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

afraid of touching vs afraid to touch