tackier; tackiest
: somewhat sticky to the touch
tacky varnish
also
: characterized by tack : adhesive
tackier; tackiest
1
Examples of tacky in a Sentence
Adjective (1)
don't touch the walls while the fresh paint is still tacky
Adjective (2)
it was tacky to wear sneakers to the wedding
tacky plastic flowers
a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery
Recent Examples on the Web
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Liquid soap, fabric softener, dryer sheets, and even spilled laundry products can leave behind a tacky residue on appliance surfaces.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Mahsa Afsharpour, the founder of Saga Interiors, has good advice for making sure stone statues don't skew tacky.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
Her dress, makeup, hair and nails are tacky!
—Essence, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tacky
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Adjective
The cleanup of the Great Molasses Flood took weeks, and, for months, everywhere that anyone had tracked molasses, including underground subway platforms, was still tacky.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Liquid soap, fabric softener, dryer sheets, and even spilled laundry products can leave behind a tacky residue on appliance surfaces.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Mahsa Afsharpour, the founder of Saga Interiors, has good advice for making sure stone statues don't skew tacky.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
Her dress, makeup, hair and nails are tacky!
—Essence, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tacky
Cite this Entry
“Tacky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tacky. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tacky
2 of 2 adjective
tackier; tackiest
1
2
: marked by lack of style or good taste
a tacky outfit
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