sticky

[ stik-ee ]
See synonyms for: stickystickiness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,stick·i·er, stick·i·est.
  1. having the property of adhering, as glue; adhesive.

  2. covered with adhesive or viscid matter: sticky hands.

  1. (of the weather or climate) hot and humid: It was an unbearably sticky day.

  2. requiring careful treatment; awkwardly difficult: a rather sticky diplomatic problem; Breaking the news is going to be sticky.

  3. Informal. unpleasant; unfortunate; nasty: The villain of the story meets a sticky end.

noun,plural stick·ies.
  1. one of a number of small sheets of paper on a pad, each having an adhesive backing that allows it to be positioned and repositioned on smooth surfaces.

Origin of sticky

1
1720–30; 1910–15 for def. 4; stick2 + -y1

Other words for sticky

Other words from sticky

  • stick·i·ly, adverb
  • stick·i·ness, noun
  • non·stick·y, adjective
  • un·stick·y, adjective

Words Nearby sticky

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sticky in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sticky

sticky

/ (ˈstɪkɪ) /


adjectivestickier or stickiest
  1. covered or daubed with an adhesive or viscous substance: sticky fingers

  2. having the property of sticking to a surface

  1. (of weather or atmosphere) warm and humid; muggy

  2. (of prices) tending not to fall in deflationary conditions

  3. informal difficult, awkward, or painful: a sticky business

  4. US informal sentimental

  5. (of a website) encouraging users to visit repeatedly

verbstickies, stickying or stickied
  1. (tr) informal to make sticky

nounplural stickies Australian informal
  1. short for stickybeak

  2. an inquisitive look or stare (esp in the phrase have a sticky at)

Derived forms of sticky

  • stickily, adverb
  • stickiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012