stickier; stickiest
3
: tending to stick
4
a
: disagreeable, unpleasant
came to a sticky end
c
: difficult, problematic
a sticky situation
5
: excessively sentimental : cloying
Examples of sticky in a Sentence
The sap is very sticky.
There is a sticky substance on the table.
The paint was still sticky.
The weather was hot and sticky.
Recent Examples on the Web
Chopped pecans are sprinkled over the top, creating that irresistible sticky topping once the buns are baked and flipped.
—
Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
Blot wet spills instead of rubbing, and vacuum crumbs and dirt, which can be abrasive and weaken fibers, become ground into the carpet, and cause a sticky residue if left for too long.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
The bee mushroom, which is hairy and striped like a bee, turns Mario into bee Mario, who can fly and climb on sticky honey walls.
—Matt Kasson, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2025
The cafeteria floors — still sticky from a thousand juice box spills and the great tater-tot avalanche of last Tuesday — get a scrub worthy of a surgical ward.
—Mark Glende, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sticky
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Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
Blot wet spills instead of rubbing, and vacuum crumbs and dirt, which can be abrasive and weaken fibers, become ground into the carpet, and cause a sticky residue if left for too long.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
The bee mushroom, which is hairy and striped like a bee, turns Mario into bee Mario, who can fly and climb on sticky honey walls.
—Matt Kasson, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2025
The cafeteria floors — still sticky from a thousand juice box spills and the great tater-tot avalanche of last Tuesday — get a scrub worthy of a surgical ward.
—Mark Glende, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sticky
Cite this Entry
“Sticky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticky. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sticky
adjective
stickier; stickiest
1
a
: adhesive entry 1, gluey
sticky syrup
b
: coated with a sticky substance
the tabletop was sticky
3
: tending to stick
sticky windows
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