touching to watch

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "touching to watch" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to convey an emotional response to something observed, but it is not a commonly used expression. Example: "The film was so touching to watch that I found myself in tears by the end."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

It's almost touching to watch him try to stay interested and expressive while filling in floorboards and windowsills.

The New Yorker

And since actors too suffer the agues of aging, it is always touching to watch a master of the stage take on the role in the autumn of his career.

The New York Times

It is touching to watch them fumble through their first date, talking about broken marriages, trying to dance, playing the need to look good against the need to be honest.

The New York Times

It's touching to watch Mr. Perlman wrap his large frame around the small boy in an attempt to comfort him, but the threat to Drum calls for further help: a well-known city lawyer, played by Scott Bakula, a fine actor best-known for his Emmy-nominated performances in "Quantum Leap".

The New York Times

In the beginning, it was sort of touching to watch these two accomplished journalists, Michael Weisskopf, formerly of The Washington Post and currently at Time magazine, and Susan Schmidt, still at The Post, as they earnestly rooted for truffles in this desert.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

To see thousands of penguins in colonies and rookeries nursing their furry chicks or kissing their mates, touching bills; to watch a mother seal suckle her newborn pup; to watch pink and white dolphins porpoise through the water next to your ship.

Huffington Post

Drivers pull up to a SAM kiosk and tap its touch screen to watch an instructional video.

The New York Times

Ian Bell is Damien Martyn In touch, lovely to watch, classical in strokeplay and beautifully balanced forward and back.

The Guardian - Sport

Instead, it uses Smart's DVIT (Digital Vision Touch) system to watch for fingers on the screen.

TechCrunch

One feature that stands out is live video streaming, which enables iPhone and iPod Touch owners to watch the President's public events at the White House as well as other events like key speeches and press briefings in real-time.

TechCrunch

Stewart's first monologue following the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 was sincere, touching and incredibly difficult to watch.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to describe an emotionally resonant viewing experience, opt for phrases like "moving to watch" or "heartwarming to see" instead of "touching to watch" for clearer and more conventional expression.

Common error

Avoid directly translating emotional impact into the viewing action; instead of saying something is "touching to watch", focus on how the experience affects the viewer or what emotions it evokes. For example, use alternatives like "moving to watch" or "heartwarming to see".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "touching to watch" aims to describe something that evokes emotion when viewed. However, it deviates from standard grammatical conventions. As Ludwig AI points out, the construction is not commonly used and lacks the grammatical correctness of alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "touching to watch" attempts to describe an emotionally resonant viewing experience, it's grammatically incorrect and rarely used. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's advisable to use more conventional alternatives like "moving to watch", "heartwarming to see", or "affecting to see" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness. The limited occurrence of "touching to watch" in news and media contexts suggests it's best avoided in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moving to watch

Replaces "touching" with "moving", providing a more conventional adjective for describing an emotional viewing experience.

heartwarming to see

Shifts the focus to a feeling of warmth and affection when observing something.

affecting to see

Emphasizes the emotional impact of the viewed subject.

poignant to witness

Highlights the emotionally stirring and sometimes sorrowful nature of what is seen.

emotional to observe

Focuses on the emotional response elicited by the observation.

stirring to behold

Implies a sense of excitement or strong emotion upon viewing.

inspiring to watch

Indicates that the viewing experience provides inspiration or motivation.

beautiful to see

Focuses on the aesthetic pleasure of watching something.

heartrending to watch

Describes a viewing experience filled with deep sorrow or distress.

uplifting to observe

Conveys a sense of hope and happiness derived from watching something.

FAQs

What's a better way to say "touching to watch"?

Instead of "touching to watch", consider using phrases like "moving to watch", "heartwarming to see", or "affecting to see", which are more grammatically sound and commonly used.

Is "touching to watch" grammatically correct?

No, "touching to watch" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "moving to watch".

How can I use "moving to watch" in a sentence?

You can use "moving to watch" in sentences like: "The reunion was incredibly "moving to watch", filled with tears and laughter."

What does "moving to watch" mean?

"Moving to watch" describes something that evokes strong emotions in the viewer, such as sadness, joy, or compassion.