variants
or less commonly flakey
flakier; flakiest
flakier; flakiest
1
2
informal
: not reliable in performance or behavior : undependable
a flaky mechanism
You'll want to make sure that all the technology tools you need to effectively and efficiently serve clients are in full working order and that you won't need to worry about wasting time and money fixing broken hardware or flaky software.—
Henry B. Chace
Henry B. Chace… digital crutches trump face-to-face talking (even phone calls), encouraging people to be flaky and evasive …—Charlotte Liberman
Charlotte LibermanExamples of flaky in a Sentence
Adjective (1)
a tender but flaky crust on the pastry
Recent Examples on the Web
Patricia S York, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2025
Symptoms include red, scaly, flaky, or greasy skin rashes that often appear on the back, face, or scalp.
—Laura Dorwart, Health, 22 Dec. 2025
Instead of a flaky pastry crust, top the quiche-like BEC base with buttery two-bite crescent rolls.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2025
Once fried, the tortilla should still be light, crispy and airy as well as not too greasy but also snappy and flaky — so they’re cooked not too little and not too much, but just right.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaky
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Adjective
Sprinkle it in the batter or add flaky sea salt to the top of the brownies after removing them from the oven.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2025
Symptoms include red, scaly, flaky, or greasy skin rashes that often appear on the back, face, or scalp.
—Laura Dorwart, Health, 22 Dec. 2025
Instead of a flaky pastry crust, top the quiche-like BEC base with buttery two-bite crescent rolls.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2025
Once fried, the tortilla should still be light, crispy and airy as well as not too greasy but also snappy and flaky — so they’re cooked not too little and not too much, but just right.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaky
Cite this Entry
“Flaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaky. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.
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