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
Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 22 Jan. 2026
Oh, and the hotel’s ensuite bakery does the softest, flakiest sourdough croissants in town.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
The buttery, flaky topping and rich meat and vegetable filling combination makes for the ultimate cold-weather comfort meal.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
And for mornings, Butchertown Grocery Bakery anchors the day with excellent pastries, especially the flaky biscuits, and local coffee—no reinvention necessary.
—Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flaky
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.
Adjective
If your skin feels rough, flaky, or tight after cleansing, then ectoin is for you.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 22 Jan. 2026
Oh, and the hotel’s ensuite bakery does the softest, flakiest sourdough croissants in town.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
The buttery, flaky topping and rich meat and vegetable filling combination makes for the ultimate cold-weather comfort meal.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
And for mornings, Butchertown Grocery Bakery anchors the day with excellent pastries, especially the flaky biscuits, and local coffee—no reinvention necessary.
—Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 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 26 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
