stickier; stickiest
Synonyms of stickynext
1
a
: adhesive
a sticky material
b(1)
: viscous, gluey
sticky syrup
(2)
: coated with a sticky substance
sticky little fingers
… it must have been just repainted, it looked so bright and stickyLewis Carroll
2
: humid, muggy
also : clammy
3
: tending to stick
4
a
: disagreeable, unpleasant
came to a sticky end
b
c
: difficult, problematic
a sticky situation
5
: excessively sentimental : cloying
stickily adverb
stickiness noun

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
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.
They’re grilled then finished in the oven, rendering the skin crisp, and a little sticky. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026 Another round possible As temps climb near 90 and the humidity gets extra sticky, more severe weather is possible later Wednesday as a severe thunderstorm could hit the metro, according to the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service. Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 10 June 2026 The heat was often unbearable during the 1994 World Cup, starting with the sticky opener at Soldier Field in Chicago. Filip Bondy, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026 The risk now is that the oil shock, like the previous supply shocks that have battered the economy since the pandemic, proves to be sticky. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sticky

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sticky was in 1688

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sticky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticky. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

sticky

adjective
stickier; stickiest
1
a
: adhesive entry 1, gluey
sticky syrup
b
: coated with a sticky substance
the tabletop was sticky
2
: muggy, humid
a hot sticky day
3
: tending to stick
sticky windows
stickily adverb
stickiness noun

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