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
Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
These pastries are made from laminated dough, rolled thin, sprinkled with sugar and baked until crisp, golden and flaky.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Other potentially concerning changes including nipple discharge, pain or swelling in their breast, changes in the color of the nipple or breast, the nipple turning inward, painful or enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits or near the collarbone, or redness or flaky skin on the breast.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaky
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Adjective
The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass, but other signs and symptoms include swelling of the breast, skin dimpling, breast or nipple pain, nipple discharge aside from breast milk and nipple or breast skin that is red, dry, flaky or thickened, according to ACS.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
These pastries are made from laminated dough, rolled thin, sprinkled with sugar and baked until crisp, golden and flaky.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Other potentially concerning changes including nipple discharge, pain or swelling in their breast, changes in the color of the nipple or breast, the nipple turning inward, painful or enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits or near the collarbone, or redness or flaky skin on the breast.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 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 4 Oct. 2025.
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