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
Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
Pure maple syrup is a natural pair sweet potato for sweetness, but the addition of flaky sea salt blunts the sweetness for an unique finish that might become a new family favorite.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Maia’s flaky friends Alani (True Whitaker) and Charlie (Jordan Firstman) are, respectively, a nepo baby with a titular vice presidency at her famous father’s production company and a mouthy stylist genuflecting at the feet of small-time pop singers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
At the same time, Stella also got bullied for her seborrheic dermatitis, a different inflammatory skin condition that cropped up on her scalp and created visible patches of flaky skin.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaky
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Adjective
Its breakfast buffet featured several unique pastry options, such as caprese croissants and flaky pistachio puffs.
—Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
Pure maple syrup is a natural pair sweet potato for sweetness, but the addition of flaky sea salt blunts the sweetness for an unique finish that might become a new family favorite.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Maia’s flaky friends Alani (True Whitaker) and Charlie (Jordan Firstman) are, respectively, a nepo baby with a titular vice presidency at her famous father’s production company and a mouthy stylist genuflecting at the feet of small-time pop singers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
At the same time, Stella also got bullied for her seborrheic dermatitis, a different inflammatory skin condition that cropped up on her scalp and created visible patches of flaky skin.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaky
Cite this Entry
“Flaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaky. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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