variants or less commonly flakey
flakier; flakiest
1
: consisting of flakes
flaky snow
2
: tending to flake
a flaky crust

flaky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

flakier; flakiest
1
: markedly odd or unconventional : offbeat, wacky
has some flaky ideas
He's nice, but a bit flaky.
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
… digital crutches trump face-to-face talking (even phone calls), encouraging people to be flaky and evasive …Charlotte Liberman

Examples of flaky in a Sentence

Adjective (1) a tender but flaky crust on the pastry
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.
Adjective
Meanwhile, if your skin is dry and flaky, a hydration facial may rely more on steaming, masks, and humectant-rich products. Essence, 8 Oct. 2025 Unlike most waterproof formulas that can leave lashes feeling stiff or flaky, this one keeps them soft and lifted while delivering major volume. Lily Wohlner, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025 Make a batch of these flaky, buttery hand pies, and stash them in your freezer for busy weeknights. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025 Ophelia is driven to madness after the murder of her father and flaky romantic advances from Hamlet, and before long, takes her own life. Jaeden Pinder, Pitchfork, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flaky

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

see flake entry 1

Adjective (2)

flake entry 4

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

circa 1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flaky was in 1580

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaky. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

flaky

adjective
ˈflā-kē
flakier; flakiest
1
: consisting of flakes
2
: tending to flake
pie with a crisp flaky crust
3
: odd or strange in behavior
4
informal : not reliable : undependable
flakily
-kə-lē
adverb
flakiness
-kē-nəs
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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