stickier; stickiest
1
: having a substance (such as glue or honey) on it that things easily attach to : covered in a substance that things stick to
My fingers are sticky.
sticky hands
The floor is sticky.
2
of a substance
: tending to have things attach to it : tending to have things stick to it
The sap is very sticky.
There is a sticky substance on the table.
The paint was still sticky.
3
informal
: unpleasantly warm and humid
It's sticky outside.
a sticky summer afternoon
The weather was hot and sticky.
4
informal
: difficult or unpleasant
It's a sticky [=tricky] situation.
Cite this Entry
“Sticky.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/sticky. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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