stickier; stickiest
1
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
If necessary, add more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, until mixture is slightly sticky, up to 1 tablespoon total.
—
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2025
This is because the presence of lipoprotein(a) makes cholesterol particles sticky, so to speak, and thus more likely to get trapped in an atherosclerotic plaque.
—Mary J. Scourboutakos, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Dave Franco and Alison Brie are ferociously game as a wildly unlikable couple whose move to a quiet farmhouse turns codependency into a sticky literal battle that’s impossible to ignore.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2025
This hybrid is enriched with much-need hydration to impart non-sticky, shiny finish with the staying-power of a stain.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sticky
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Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2025
This is because the presence of lipoprotein(a) makes cholesterol particles sticky, so to speak, and thus more likely to get trapped in an atherosclerotic plaque.
—Mary J. Scourboutakos, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Dave Franco and Alison Brie are ferociously game as a wildly unlikable couple whose move to a quiet farmhouse turns codependency into a sticky literal battle that’s impossible to ignore.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2025
This hybrid is enriched with much-need hydration to impart non-sticky, shiny finish with the staying-power of a stain.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 18 Dec. 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 22 Dec. 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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