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
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026
The skin around her nose and eyes was red and flaky, her knuckles and fingers white and blotchy.
—Ann Larson, Time, 11 June 2026
The symptoms of breast cancer in men include abnormalities around the breast area, including a lump or swelling, redness or flaky skin, nipple discharge and pain in the nipple area, according to the CDC.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
When baked in a very hot oven, butter contains enough water to form steam, which separates doughs into layers of flaky pastry.
—Rosemary Trout, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for flaky
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Adjective
While still warm, sprinkle with flaky salt and Aleppo pepper.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026
The skin around her nose and eyes was red and flaky, her knuckles and fingers white and blotchy.
—Ann Larson, Time, 11 June 2026
The symptoms of breast cancer in men include abnormalities around the breast area, including a lump or swelling, redness or flaky skin, nipple discharge and pain in the nipple area, according to the CDC.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
When baked in a very hot oven, butter contains enough water to form steam, which separates doughs into layers of flaky pastry.
—Rosemary Trout, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for flaky
Cite this Entry
“Flaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaky. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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