streaky

adjective

ˈstrē-kē 

streakier; streakiest

1

: marked with streaks

streaky bacon

2

: apprehensive

nervous and streaky

3

: apt to vary (as in effectiveness) : unreliable

streakiness noun

Examples of streaky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many glass cleaners use ammonia to cut through grease and grime, but instead of leaving your appliances polished and shiny, the pungent solution can actually leave a streaky, cloudy sheen on stainless steel. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026

Now 24, the catcher can impact a baseball like few others who play his position, but he gets injured often, his defense appears to be declining and his bat is streaky. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 Sep. 2026

Oversaturating floors can result in mold or mildew growth, lifting, warping, or swelling, while the soap can also leave behind a residue that dulls the finish, creating a cloudy or streaky appearance. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026

Further north, as the moisture is squeezed out, streaky alto-cumulus and cirrus clouds will dot the sky across Central and Northern California throughout the day. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for streaky

• cheeky
• creaky
• freaky
• kiki
• leaky
• sneaky
• squeaky

Kids Definition

streaky

adjective

ˈstrē-kē 

streakier; streakiest

1

: having or showing streaks

2

: likely to vary : changeable

a streaky hitter in baseball

streakiness noun