as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
the novel has an icky sentimentality that makes my skin crawl
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of icky
Ultimately, Franco jettisons his characters for the sake of unearned plot twists that leave the viewer feeling only icky.
—
Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Cosell, for want of a better word, could be icky, especially around young actresses.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Let that be a recommendation for those who aren’t shy about these things, which run the gamut from eye-poppingly (or, as audiences will soon learn, eye-twistingly) icky, very impressive, and even occasionally playful.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Who among us hasn’t put off icky things such as a tedious work assignment, a fridge deep clean or a difficult conversation?
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icky
Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Cosell, for want of a better word, could be icky, especially around young actresses.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Let that be a recommendation for those who aren’t shy about these things, which run the gamut from eye-poppingly (or, as audiences will soon learn, eye-twistingly) icky, very impressive, and even occasionally playful.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Who among us hasn’t put off icky things such as a tedious work assignment, a fridge deep clean or a difficult conversation?
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icky
Adjective
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Place a bowl of coffee grounds in the offending area (or, in the case of your shoes, place dry grounds in an old sock or cloth tied up and leave overnight inside the shoe) and let the grounds absorb unpleasant odors, says Rocky Vuong, founder of Calibre Cleaning Unlimited.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
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Years later, the teenaged Daughter lets in a woman from the outside, which causes chaos in their relationship and reveals some unpleasant secrets.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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The scheme has been so successful, law enforcement has created a joint FBI-National Security Division task force to disrupt the operations and have dealt a series of harsh prison terms to American accomplices who have willingly aided the North Koreans.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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To fully embody her OnlyFans persona, an earthside alien named The Hungry Ghost, who offers mild nudity and harsh criticism of her willing subscribers’ genitalia.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Usually a team of elegant offense, Michigan instead clanked 13 triples off the rim and relied on its inside defensive ferocity to win a game nearly as aesthetically unpleasing as UConn’s 53-41 win over Butler in 2011.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
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Rosemary makes one of the best companion plants for apple trees because of its strong scent that's unpleasing to critters looking to snack on a juicy red apple.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Fast forward to mid-May, and the Astros are, well, bad.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in the loss of nearly a billion barrels of oil, with the shortage growing worse every day the sea lane remains closed.—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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In the last two weeks, five friends have come down with either a pesty cold or nasty flu bug.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
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Otherwise, you people might be tempted to dash off a bunch of nasty remarks in the comments section.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The scene Tuesday was beyond ugly.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
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Culturally, the word is synonymous with ugly, not just for the ways lesbians defy traditional gender roles in the popular imagination but for their disinclination toward and unavailability to men.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Here, 24 taps feature a wide range of styles, from hoppy and light to sour, dark, and experimental, with four core beers always on offer.—
Vivian Chung,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
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Viewers can expect this tale of neocolonialism with echoes of #MeToo to leave a sour taste in their mouths.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
That is a really horrible thing.—
David Chiu,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Icky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icky. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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