icky

adjective

ˈi-kē How to pronounce icky (audio)
Definition of ickynext
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses the novel has an icky sentimentality that makes my skin crawl

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of icky Jake’s latest column explores why the editor of seminal BBC sitcom The Office found an AI fix for a punchline problem that was too icky for the industry. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 29 May 2026 Yes, the guys, especially the dentist (ick) and the icky bride-shopping commanders are creeping and disturbing. — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Vegas goalie Carter Hart, icky narrative and all, was the best player in the series. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 May 2026 This should be done immediately after mowing because fresh clippings will start to melt and get icky really quickly. — Laura Simpson, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for icky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icky
  1. unpleasant
  2. harsh
  3. unpleasing
  4. bad
  5. nasty
  6. ugly
  7. sour
  8. horrible
Adjective
  • Anyone concerned about coming down with this very unpleasant sickness should avoid lettuces for the time being, says Rabia de Latour, a gastroenterologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 July 2026
  • Like them, his music seesaws between aggressive and playful, between crowd-pleasing and purposefully unpleasant.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • The couple made sure the design included a basement where the kids could spend time, better insulation to handle South Dakota’s harsh weather and plenty of storage — all features their previous home lacked.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • Those are some of the harsh conditions that detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody described experiencing in recent weeks at the Federal Detention Center, a Bureau of Prisons facility located in a concrete tower in downtown Miami.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • The remarks not only referred to the aesthetics of the game – tedious matches devoid of skillful merit that were unpleasing to watch.
    — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
  • 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
Definition of unpleasing
Adjective
  • Shouldn’t Tamra take that as a sign to repair her relationships with the women rather than alienate the one person who is willing to look past her bad behavior?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • That statistic shows that hotels did worse with the World Cup than without it initially.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Lyndsy Fonseca, rapper Russ, Tom Cavanagh, Hunter King, Joseph Lee Anderson and Rob Riggle star in the indie film, which concerns a group of campers who run into a nasty, giant, prehistoric spider.
    — William Earl, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • At that point, a nasty nearly $7 million a day ticking fee takes effect that will find Paramount on the hook for hundreds of millions out to WBD shareholders each month until the matter gets regulatory approval.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 July 2026
Definition of nasty
Adjective
  • The deals defined one of the ugliest chapters of Russia’s transition to capitalism in the 1990s.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
  • Leaders must be grounded in self-awareness and their influence, leaning into emotional intelligence and humility; recognizing that different styles shape how people show up amid many influences, good, bad and ugly.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • Though the loss leaves a sour taste, as time passes by, plenty of positives will be remembered.
    — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 15 July 2026
  • The notice of violation was issued on July 12, after the agency received more than 40 public complaints of rotten, sour, garbage-type odors in the area.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of sour
Adjective
  • The toll was horrible, with some families suffering multiple deaths and injuries.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
  • Plus, Palmer is a horrible person — in this case, the victim is much more despicable than the thieves.
    — Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 July 2026
Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

icings
icky
icon
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Icky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icky. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of raffish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All