as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
the novel has an icky sentimentality that makes my skin crawl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of icky
Her pipes are backed up with icky brown water.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
But apart from Berger ending things with Carrie via Post-it, there’s nothing more icky than a boyfriend plagued by jealousy over his partner’s success.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2025
The five blades are cloaked in aloe soap for a close, soothing shave, and the handle comes with a magnetic mount that fends off icky rust and sticks to the shower wall for easy access.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
The eye midge may have implanted itself elsewhere and there’s no telling where those other icky creatures from Prodigy’s labs have scurried off to, but those are questions that will no doubt be answered once/if FX announces a second season.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for icky
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
But apart from Berger ending things with Carrie via Post-it, there’s nothing more icky than a boyfriend plagued by jealousy over his partner’s success.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2025
The five blades are cloaked in aloe soap for a close, soothing shave, and the handle comes with a magnetic mount that fends off icky rust and sticks to the shower wall for easy access.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
The eye midge may have implanted itself elsewhere and there’s no telling where those other icky creatures from Prodigy’s labs have scurried off to, but those are questions that will no doubt be answered once/if FX announces a second season.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for icky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icky
Adjective
-
Over time, this buildup can affect the dishwasher's performance, lead to unpleasant odors, and leave dishes less clean.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The water in Griffin was deemed safe to use the same day as the spill, later in the evening, but some residents believed the water still had an unpleasant smell.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The energy output is designed to remain stable down to –50 degrees Celsius, supporting reliable operation in some of the harshest climates on Earth, reports InsideEVs.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Rapinchuk recommends only using non-toxic products when cleaning your refrigerator and avoiding anything with harsh chemicals, such as bleach and ammonia.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.—
Eric Tegler,
Popular Mechanics,
1 Oct. 2019
-
His side's inability to finish off the game against Burnley on the other hand was very unpleasing.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
1 Feb. 2018
Adjective
-
In 2006, ahead of the Turin Olympics, Vonn took a bad fall during downhill training and went to the hospital.—
ANDREW DAMPF,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Attending a bad Super Bowl is the Super Bowl of communal experiences.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The mother of three was first spotted with the hunky Larocca, in October 2024, about six months after the nasty breakup with Hall.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Talarico remarked that the nasty interloper would provide good color for my story, and then recalled the time that former Governor Rick Perry had encountered a coyote while running outside Austin—and shot it dead.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Further, there is the even uglier spectre of players and coaches themselves fixing games.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Shower Heads Even the most high-end shower heads are not immune to ugly mineral deposits and limescale buildup that can clog the holes.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Variation Rather than flaking the salmon into the noodles, serve the fish on top of the pasta and spinach, then drizzle with the sour-cream mixture.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Probably the best beer to pair with such desserts is a Belgian fruit lambic, a sour beer fermented a second time with fruit.—
Jay R. Brooks,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Miami is now 27-26, still mired in play-in territory, entering today’s matinee at horrible Washington.—
Greg Cote
February 8,
Miami Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
A lot of things have happened with regard to that horrible situation the last couple of hours.—
Kathy Tulumello,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Icky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icky. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
