Definition

Verb phrase: - To cause someone to feel extremely pleased, delighted, or amused. It describes a state of great happiness or satisfaction.

Usage

This phrase is used to describe the action of making someone very happy or amused. It is often used in the passive voice ("to be tickled pink") to describe the person experiencing the delight. - The phrase is informal and idiomatic. - It typically describes a reaction to a specific event, compliment, or gesture.

Examples

• Verb phrase (passive voice):
  • She was tickled pink by the surprise birthday party her friends organized.
  • My grandfather is tickled pink whenever his grandchildren come to visit.
  • The positive feedback from the client tickled the entire team pink.

Advanced Usage

• Causative Structure: While less common, the active voice can be used to describe the action of delighting someone.
  • Your thoughtful gift really tickled her pink.
• Emphasis: The phrase often conveys a sense of charming, slightly surprised, or childlike delight.

Variants and Related Words

• Tickled to death (idiom): A synonym meaning extremely pleased or amused.
  • I was tickled to death that they remembered my favorite book.
• Delight (verb): To please someone greatly.
• Thrill (verb): To cause someone to feel a sudden wave of excitement or pleasure.

Synonyms

• Delight: To give great pleasure or satisfaction.
• Please greatly: To cause someone to feel happy and satisfied.
• Thrill: To cause someone to have a sudden feeling of excitement and pleasure.
• Overjoy: To make someone extremely happy.

Related Idioms

• On cloud nine: To be extremely happy.
  • After getting the promotion, she was on cloud nine.
• In seventh heaven: To be in a state of bliss or great happiness.
  • He's been in seventh heaven since his new grandson was born.

Verb

1. fill with sublime emotion
   • The children were thrilled at the prospect of going to the movies
   • He was inebriated by his phenomenal success