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ickier; ickiest
: offensive to the senses or sensibilities : distasteful
had an icky smell
… put off by her icky triteness …Renata Adler
ickiness noun

Examples of icky in a Sentence

The trail was icky with mud. the novel has an icky sentimentality that makes my skin crawl
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.
The icky parts are discarded, and then the giblets, a nutritious bundle of odds and ends that are still good to eat, are tucked back into the cavity for safekeeping. Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025 But the fact that CG wasn't an option back in 1982 undeniably makes the effects more memorable, as the stretching and snapping of latex gives the Thing's transformations an icky, otherworldly quality that computers simply can't match. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025 Her pipes are backed up with icky brown water. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025 But apart from Berger ending things with Carrie via Post-it, there’s nothing more icky than a boyfriend plagued by jealousy over his partner’s success. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for icky

Word History

Etymology

perhaps baby talk alteration of sticky

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of icky was in 1929

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Icky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/icky. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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