Synonyms of sticky

sticky

adjective

ˈsti-kē 

1

as in adhesive

tending to adhere to objects upon contact

both sides of the tape are sticky, making it a little tricky to work with

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adhesive
• gummy
• adherent
• glutinous
• gluey
• tacky
• tenacious
• viscous
• clingy
• gooey
• gelatinous
• viscid
• syrupy
• ropy
• tarry
• pitchy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonviscous
• nonadhesive

2

as in humid

containing or characterized by an uncomfortable amount of moisture

a warm sticky day when all we wanted to do was sit somewhere with air-conditioning

Synonyms & Similar Words

• humid
• damp
• moist
• muggy
• wet
• sultry
• tropical
• heavy
• oppressive
• tropic
• steamy
• subtropical
• sweltering
• clammy
• summery
• torrid
• saturated
• soggy
• dripping
• semitropical
• suffocating
• soaked
• sodden
• stuffy
• smothering
• dank
• stifling
• sopping
• close
• drenched
• waterlogged
• soaking
• summerlike
• washed
• subhumid
• watery
• bathed
• watered
• awash
• soppy
• doused
• soused

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dry
• fresh
• cool
• refreshing
• crisp
• bracing
• dusty
• arid
• dehydrated
• baked
• scorched
• burned
• thirsty
• droughty
• desert
• semiarid
• parched
• invigorating
• sunbaked
• waterless
• sere
• seared

3

as in difficult

requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling

an especially sticky conversation about money matters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• difficult
• tough
• sensitive
• problematic
• complicated
• tricky
• delicate
• hairy
• thorny
• nasty
• touchy
• spiny
• hard
• problem
• knotty
• ticklish
• prickly
• complex
• catchy
• dodgy
• serious
• painful
• tricksy
• intricate
• troublesome
• abstract
• stubborn
• abstruse
• recondite
• vexing
• involved
• worrisome
• scabrous
• vexatious
• oppressive
• onerous
• inconvenient
• troublous
• stressful
• burdensome
• importunate
• exhausting
• demanding
• exacting
• discommoding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• simple
• manageable
• straightforward
• uncomplicated
• painless
• effortless
• unproblematic
• undemanding

4

as in sentimental

appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way

sticky love scenes that will bore cynics to death

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sentimental
• sloppy
• wet
• gooey
• fuzzy
• drippy
• sugary
• cloying
• mushy
• slushy
• saccharine
• soupy
• mawkish
• sappy
• soppy
• sugarcoated
• corny
• schmaltzy
• maudlin
• chocolate-box
• spoony
• lovey-dovey
• fruity
• nostalgic
• dreamy
• soapy
• feel-good
• moony
• novelettish
• sudsy
• moonstruck
• melodramatic
• insipid
• vapid
• misty-eyed
• tasteless
• watery
• cutesy
• starry-eyed
• flat
• soft-boiled
• soap-operatic
• twee

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsentimental
• unadulterated
• unvarnished
• cynical
• hardheaded
• hard-edged
• antisentimental
• hard-boiled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sticky

Windy weather and bees in your yard can help, but when conditions are calm or humidity levels are high, the pollen can be too sticky to move easily. — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 15 July 2026

That sticky amyloid protein starts building up to form plaques in the brain about two decades before symptoms appear. — Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 14 July 2026

The extra sticky top layer helps to keep your hands and feet from slipping during tricky yoga poses. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

The insect also produces large amounts of sticky honeydew, which promotes the growth of black sooty mold—a plant disease—that can interfere with photosynthesis and coat leaves, branches, and outdoor surfaces. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 July 2026

Phrases Containing sticky

• sticky wicket