How to Use touch-up in a Sentence

touch-up

1 of 2 noun
  • Dry with a microfiber cloth and use wipes or melamine sponges for quick touch-ups.
    — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Even worse, touch-up was sometimes required ten years down the line.
    — Shikhar Sachdev, thehustle.co, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Keep them in your personal item bag for a quick touch-up mid-flight.
    — Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Her make-up artist appeared for a powder touch-up, and the show went on.
    — Lindsey Underwood, Vanity Fair, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Could it be used on dry hair for touch-ups, or can it only be applied to damp hair?
    — Kat Merck, WIRED, 30 Jan. 2025
  • Once your patch is dry and smooth, touch it up with paint using a small brush or paint touch-up tool.
    — Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 28 June 2023
  • With the right color scheme, a paint touch-up can be just the dash of whimsy your kitchen needs.
    — Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 28 June 2023
  • The sleek folding mirror comes complete with a stand for touch-ups on the go.
    — L.a. Hubilla, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2023
  • Keep one in your glove compartment for quick touch-ups before guests hop in.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Apr. 2026
  • There’s also a mirror in the compact, so on-the-go touch-ups are easy.
    — Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 13 Dec. 2023
  • Eating to the sway of 135 miles per hour invites a few touch-ups.
    — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 18 July 2023
  • Root touch-ups are often for covering gray hair that has newly grown out.
    — Dory Zayas, Parents, 25 July 2024
  • Which option requires more frequent touch-ups?
    — Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025
  • This lip liner is a dream for those who want a soft, fresh look without the need for constant touch-ups.
    — Claire Sullivan, WWD, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Plus, the mini size is perfect for throwing in your bag for after work touch-ups.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2025
  • Pfeiffer showed off her flawless touch-ups with a selfie taken in the back seat of a car.
    — Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 16 June 2023
  • What’s the difference between a root touch-up and at-home hair color?
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 July 2024
  • It’s perfectly sized to toss in my bag for quick touch-ups throughout the day or travel.
    — Madeline Merinuk, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
  • Grab both the travel-size and full-size versions to keep one at home and one in your handbag for touch-ups.
    — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 24 Sep. 2024
  • Pop this tiny balm in any bag—formal clutch, shoulder bag, or work tote—for touch-ups throughout the day.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025
  • This lightweight and buildable product brings a smooth touch to your skin and is perfect for touch-ups.
    — Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2024
  • Here's how my makeup held up after 14 hours of sweat, sans a single touch-up.
    — Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 7 Sep. 2023
  • And for quick touch-ups on dry hair, there’s a setting that goes up to 320°F.
    — Siena Gagliano, Allure, 11 Mar. 2025
  • After all sessions are completed, a client won’t need to come back for touch-ups for three to six years.
    — Desiree Browne, ELLE, 24 Feb. 2023
  • Then mix touch-up porcelain paint to match the color of the tile as closely as possible.
    — Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2023
  • The compact stick format is also ideal for on-the-go touch-ups of all calibers.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Allure, 1 Aug. 2024
  • The knife also comes with a single-stage sharpener for quick touch-ups on the water.
    — Cosmo Genova, Field & Stream, 3 May 2023
  • However, some clients need a touch-up after one to two years, adds Patel.
    — Kate Foster, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2024
  • The set design featured glam stations, where models stopped for touch-ups during the show.
    — Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
  • These small touch-ups keep everything looking fresh and save her from heavy cleaning later.
    — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026

touch up

2 of 2 verb
  • To top it all off, the paint throughout the home must be touched up.
    — Derrick Bryson Taylor, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2023
  • If all else fails, buy a small can of paint for touching up stubborn stains.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Use a small paintbrush to touch up any spots where the paint dripped or bled through the stencil.
    — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2021
  • And each of the copper ledges got touched up and refurbished.
    — Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2024
  • Gold jewelry is durable and long-lasting but needs to be touched up over the years.
    — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
  • The finish can take a beating, so take time every few months to touch up here and there.
    — Kenzi Wilbur, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2024
  • Mai’s songwriting could still use some touching up.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
  • But police said the substance is believed to have been line paint that is used on the field to touch up bases.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 28 Apr. 2022
  • This may also save you the trouble of having to touch up the paint on your baseboards.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025
  • Then, blow-dry with a round brush and touch up small sections with a one-inch-barrel curling iron.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
  • If needed, touch up the edges with the existing wall color for a crisp, clean line.
    — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
  • Resist the temptation to go back to touch up bare spots; leave those for the second coat.
    — Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022
  • Then, about two weeks ago Cunningham touched up the regrowth.
    — Andrea Lavinthal, Peoplemag, 10 Aug. 2023
  • Bences and three other performers change clothes, put on wigs and touch up their makeup.
    — Dallas News, 5 Dec. 2022
  • If necessary, touch up any uneven spots with a small paintbrush.
    — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Aug. 2022
  • Japonesque's Brow Razor, which is very small and perfect for a quick touch up.
    — Lauren Tappan, Town & Country, 3 Aug. 2022
  • The bathrooms even have on-hand makeup artists ready to touch up your lipstick or refresh your face.
    — Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 12 May 2022
  • Her roots are touched up, and her gaze, now pointed at the camera, seems to relish being watched.
    — Kim Hew-Low, New York Times, 16 May 2024
  • No one has ever come to me and said their artwork was peeling or chipping and asked me to do a touch up.
    — Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2023
  • No one was there to touch up their makeup, fix their hair, move a light, adjust their mic or straighten their wardrobe.
    — Nancy Meyers, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2020
  • Install more screws to hold the posts to the 4 x 4s, then fill the holes over the screw heads and touch up the paint.
    — Neal Barrett, Popular Mechanics, 15 May 2021
  • Volunteers painted the daughters’ nails and touched up their hair.
    — Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
  • Beauty-wise, Lopez pulled her brunette hair back into a tight, high bun and touched up her lips in a glossy pink hue.
    — Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 July 2023
  • After everything is cured, take the nail file to touch up any areas that look jagged from trimming.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 30 June 2025
  • Keeping the walls white makes the room feel brighter and allows the couple to easily touch up any scuffs.
    — Catherine Hong, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2023
  • Make repairs and clean and touch up any rusted areas with a fresh coat of rust-resistant paint.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Chicago stops to touch up her aunt's lips one more time before finishing her off with some face powder.
    — Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 27 Sep. 2022
  • Centennial touched up Amador for four unearned runs in the fifth.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2024
  • Attendees could have lashes applied or blush touched up or hair braided and waved… and then much more.
    — Brennan Kilbane, Allure, 23 Oct. 2023
  • Just beyond, there is a full-on beauty salon for, say, your on-call glam squad to touch up your hair highlights.
    — Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 28 Mar. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'touch-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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