cheeky

adjective

ˈchē-kē 

cheekier; cheekiest

informal

: boldly rude, impudent, or disrespectful in usually a playful or appealing way

a cheeky grin

… old-timers who still look like they could deck you if you get too cheeky.

—Shaun Assael

cheekily

ˈchē-kə-lē 

adverb

cheekiness

ˈchē-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of cheeky

• wise
• bold
• sassy
• saucy
• impudent
• fresh
• brazen
• cocky
• insolent
• blunt
• brassy
• defiant
• cute
• audacious
• brash
• impertinent
• nervy
• assertive
• cocksure

Examples of cheeky in a Sentence

a cheeky comment about something that was none of her business

Recent Examples on the Web

These jeans have a cheeky, embroidered red cowboy boot on the back pocket. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 6 July 2026

Kelce wouldn’t talk about the cheeky song when asked about it on New Heights, but his co-host connected the dots for listeners. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 4 July 2026

In a cheeky Starbucks ad, Grenier himself addressed his absence. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026

The shows this season felt especially primed for summer, packed with color, print, and cheeky accessories. — Christina Holevas, Vogue, 5 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

see cheek entry 1

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cheeky

• creaky
• freaky
• kiki
• leaky
• sneaky
• squeaky
• streaky

Kids Definition

cheeky

adjective

ˈchē-kē 

cheekier; cheekiest

informal : boldly rude or disrespectful in usually a playful way

cheekiness noun