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 adverb
cheekiness noun

Examples of cheeky in a Sentence

a cheeky comment about something that was none of her business
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.
In one of the photos, Alba turned from behind, showing off her cheeky bikini bottoms and sandy backside. Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025 Frankie, who’s become a social media favorite for his cheeky charm and candid appearances in Fleetwood’s posts, finally got his wish. Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 The story follows Toto, an almost completely blind cat with incredible ninja skills, who must use her courage and cunning to stop a deadly King Cobra that has escaped onto the streets of London, alongside her cheeky brother Silver. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Oct. 2025 What counted as cheeky fun in 1986 is, rightly, unthinkable now. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cheeky

Word History

Etymology

see cheek entry 1

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cheeky was in 1838

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cheeky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheeky. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

cheeky

adjective
cheekier; cheekiest
informal : boldly rude or disrespectful in usually a playful way
cheekiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cheeky

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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