stickier; stickiest
1
a
b(1)
(2)
: coated with a sticky substance
2
: humid, muggy
also : clammy
3
: tending to stick
4
a
: disagreeable, unpleasant
came to a sticky end
b
c
: difficult, problematic
a sticky situation
5
: excessively sentimental : cloying
stickily adverb
stickiness noun

Examples of sticky in a Sentence

The sap is very sticky. There is a sticky substance on the table. The paint was still sticky. The weather was hot and sticky.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
According to Hardy, this cream’s only downside is that the texture feels a bit sticky. Danielle Jackson, Glamour, 9 July 2025 Meteorologists previously used dew-point averages to calculate the start of the monsoon, a better reflection of when sticky, storm-ready air actually arrives. Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025 But negotiations typically address work conditions and other issues besides compensation and this year’s talks were expected to include one particularly sticky point. Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2025 Michigan State University provides instructions on creating traps for SWD by poking tiny holes into plastic containers and filling them with apple cider vinegar to lure the insects in, and placing a sticky card inside to capture them. Sophia Valchine, Freep.com, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sticky

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sticky was in 1688

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sticky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticky. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sticky

adjective
stickier; stickiest
1
a
: adhesive entry 1, gluey
sticky syrup
b
: coated with a sticky substance
the tabletop was sticky
2
: muggy, humid
a hot sticky day
3
: tending to stick
sticky windows
stickily adverb
stickiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sticky

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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