tacky

1 of 2

adjective (1)

ˈta-kē 

tackier; tackiest

: somewhat sticky to the touch

tacky varnish

also : characterized by tack : adhesive

tacky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

tackier; tackiest

1

: not having or exhibiting good taste: such as

a

: marked by cheap showiness : gaudy

a tacky publicity stunt

a tacky outfit

b

: marked by lack of style : dowdy

2

a

: characterized by lack of good breeding

… couldn't run around downtown … in a bikini, which was tacky …

—Cyra McFadden

b

: shabby, seedy

… a tacky town whose citrus groves were blighted by smoke …

—Bryce Nelson

Synonyms of tacky

Adjective (1)

• adhesive
• sticky

Adjective (2)

• inappropriate
• cheesy
• unsuitable
• trashy
• tasteless
• incorrect
• unfashionable
• wrong
• dowdy
• inelegant
• cheap

Examples of tacky in a Sentence

Adjective (1)

don't touch the walls while the fresh paint is still tacky

Adjective (2)

it was tacky to wear sneakers to the wedding

tacky plastic flowers

a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Dough should be very smooth and slightly tacky with a soft, buoyant texture. — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Aug. 2026

The doll exudes holiday glam in her floor-length, bold-red dress (reading as timeless and not tacky, courtesy of a sweetheart neckline, oversized bow detail, and voluminous skirt). — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 July 2026

Daytrippers who deboard, stay only a few hours, overflow the main tourist hubs and spend little outside of the tacky tourist shops and restaurants that proliferate these areas. — Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

All of these tracks featured commercial instrumentation pulled from romplers, MIDI banks, and sample CDs—an unabashed embrace of sounds once considered tacky and undesirable. — Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 27 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

tack entry 2

Adjective (2)

tacky a low-class person

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1788, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing tacky

• ticky-tacky

Rhymes for tacky

• bacchae
• jacky
• lackey
• wacky

Kids Definition

tacky

1 of 2 adjective

ˈtak-ē 

tackier; tackiest

: somewhat sticky to the touch

tacky varnish

tacky

2 of 2 adjective

tackier; tackiest

1

: shabby sense 2b, seedy

2

: marked by lack of style or good taste

a tacky outfit