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 The couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary last year with another typically cheeky post from Koma. Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 This last was presented by a nearly nude John Cena, in a cheeky nod to the infamous streaker incident at the Oscars, fifty years ago—a nice touch in a show unafraid to acknowledge its own history. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Henry’s first adult romance novel, Beach Read, came out in 2020 and follows its romance-author protagonist in a summer bet with her hunky neighbor (a literary fiction author) to convince him of the genre’s merit—a cheeky meta-commentary of sorts about her own writing. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024 Wrench & Rodent — a cheeky nod to some of the odder British pub naming conventions, not a reflection of the menu — has been part of Oceanside’s dining scene for the last decade. Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024 All of the exclusive photos showcase just how cheeky the actress got behind the scenes during her day on set — from playing with the cherries from the cherry-print bag set to posing for kissy-face photos while her hairstylist worked on her hair. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 Zack Snyder’s cheeky subversion of genre hits a sweet spot that’s part Ocean’s Eleven, part his remake of Dawn of the Dead (see above). Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 Appropriating the language of conspiracy theories and rabbit holes is thus a cheeky way to talk about something while acknowledging these weird online dynamics, which are simultaneously off-putting and unifying. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 29 Feb. 2024 Shoulder season is a cheeky nickname for the weeks before and after the peak season of any destination. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cheeky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near cheeky

Cite this Entry

“Cheeky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheeky. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cheeky

adjective
cheekier; cheekiest
: showing disrespect : rude, impudent
cheekiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cheeky

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