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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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3
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
an especially sticky conversation about money matters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
sticky love scenes that will bore cynics to death
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sticky
The blue light entices mosquitos, gnats, flies, and fruit flies, luring them to their demise on an unforgiving sticky pad.
—
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
The starch itself is what makes foods like rice and pasta sticky and binding, and the same principle applies to clothing.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026
Look for small round holes, sawdust piles, and sticky yellow stains near wooden structures to spot an infestation.
—Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 9 May 2026
The prey is entangled in a mesh of sticky threads that leave their legs, antennae and body segments bound together.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sticky
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2026
The starch itself is what makes foods like rice and pasta sticky and binding, and the same principle applies to clothing.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026
Look for small round holes, sawdust piles, and sticky yellow stains near wooden structures to spot an infestation.
—Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 9 May 2026
The prey is entangled in a mesh of sticky threads that leave their legs, antennae and body segments bound together.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sticky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticky
Adjective
-
They are typically composed of flexible materials and come in various forms, such as nasal clips, external adhesive strips or intranasal devices.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
1 May 2026
-
Dripping glitter, shimmering adhesive crystals, dramatic slashes of eyeliner and smudges of eyeshadow—there was a playful, shifting experimentalism here, to signal the young characters’ changeability and ingenuity.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Though Descalzo cautioned that the possible role of saunas in transmission is still just a hypothesis, the bacterium is known to spread more efficiently in humid settings.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
11 May 2026
-
In hot, humid environments, like summer in the South, flour may spoil within two to four months after opening.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Aces scored 26 points off those giveaways, which made things even more difficult on the defense.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Schiraldi oversaw a particularly difficult period on Rikers.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Strout is not a sentimental writer.—
Chris Hewitt,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
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One mom also said that her daughter asked for a sentimental and practical gift, namely a pretty diploma frame.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Wipe down the inside of the dryer with a damp rag and clean the door, too.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 May 2026
-
The passengers disembark to discover this distant country, cold and damp, their hands in their pockets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Chase Meidroth made a shuffle toss to second base for a force out, but the Sox couldn’t complete what would have been a tough double play.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Our legislators must make some tough decisions; avoiding the issues is not acceptable.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Marlins were sloppy early, committing two fielding errors (by left fielder Stowers and pitcher Anthony Bender).—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
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Now, that doesn’t excuse Amad’s extremely sloppy pass, straight to Dominik Szoboszlai, who ran through unchecked to score.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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The film opens with its shy, sensitive twentysomething protagonist, Bear, struggling to confess his feelings for his childhood friend, Nikki.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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Under Xi's predecessor, Hu Jintao, China was more focused on economic integration and more sensitive to its international reputation, said Genser, who helped win another activist's freedom in 2007.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sticky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sticky. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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