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
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
Over time, the screen becomes germy, icky to touch, and jumpy or unresponsive.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icky
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
Over time, the screen becomes germy, icky to touch, and jumpy or unresponsive.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icky
Adjective
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That said, whole-virus vaccines can cause more unpleasant side effects, and in rare cases, weakened live pathogens can redevelop infectious capability.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
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Like, what would make this already unpleasant environment even spicier?—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Unkind words and thoughts from your harshest critic (yourself) are all too common, especially for women, and their effects can diminish mood, confidence and self-esteem while positive ones can have the opposite impact.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
26 Mar. 2026
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Those forces may give the president more leverage in his negotiations, but also risk fueling Tehran's resentment and provoking a harsher response, analysts say.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
-
Smears on non-sensor areas of the tiara are like bug debris on your hood, aesthetically unpleasing but not harmful.—
Eric Tegler,
Popular Mechanics,
1 Oct. 2019
Adjective
-
Bernadine appeared to be useless—or, worse, a potential double agent.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This is very bad for our health.—
Peter D'Oench,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the especially nasty autumn of 1954, women in June Cleaver dresses and gas masks protested outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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The show excels at casting a spell through odd details, nasty red herrings, disturbing clues.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Gavin Newsom loves to brag about his accomplishments as governor — a syndrome that sometimes backfires when reality raises its ugly head.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Stocks are quickly deteriorating, with each of the major averages on pace to post an ugly month of losses as hopes for a quick resolution to the Middle East conflict gives way to fear.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The refinery in Port Arthur processed about 435,000 barrels of oil a day and turned heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, according to Valero's website.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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And even after the Iraq War turned undeniably sour, the party proceeded to nominate defenders of Bush’s policy for the next two presidential elections.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is going to be a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day.—
Nathan Rott,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
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In another case, a 10-year-old girl contracted horrible lesions on 10 percent of her body — mostly on her legs — after contact with giant hogweed.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Icky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icky. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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