1
as in inappropriate
marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste
it was tacky to wear sneakers to the wedding tacky plastic flowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in adhesive
tending to adhere to objects upon contact
don't touch the walls while the fresh paint is still tacky
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tacky
Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 22 May 2026
The cleanup of the Great Molasses Flood took weeks, and, for months, everywhere that anyone had tracked molasses, including underground subway platforms, was still tacky.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Liquid soap, fabric softener, dryer sheets, and even spilled laundry products can leave behind a tacky residue on appliance surfaces.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Mahsa Afsharpour, the founder of Saga Interiors, has good advice for making sure stone statues don't skew tacky.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tacky
Adjective
Our Top Sunscreens Under Makeup But a few strategic steps can prevent that from happening, like using a lightweight moisturizer and wearing a makeup-friendly SPF that absorbs quickly, dries down smoothly, and doesn’t leave behind a slick or tacky finish.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 22 May 2026
The cleanup of the Great Molasses Flood took weeks, and, for months, everywhere that anyone had tracked molasses, including underground subway platforms, was still tacky.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Liquid soap, fabric softener, dryer sheets, and even spilled laundry products can leave behind a tacky residue on appliance surfaces.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
Mahsa Afsharpour, the founder of Saga Interiors, has good advice for making sure stone statues don't skew tacky.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tacky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tacky
Adjective
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Others, however, said naming the animal after the president was inappropriate.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
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Enforcement of inappropriate corner crossing will continue to be difficult for FWP, but Callaghan notes that enforcement is only one part of the relationship balance that FWP Director Clark noted between private property rights and public-access rights.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Here cavernous sheet-metal market halls rub shoulders with dilapidated clapboard stores.—
Duncan Madden,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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The Urban Institute detailed in 2024 how declining government funding for public spaces had left many dilapidated and underutilized, or privatized and no longer free.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific brand, because adhesive chemistry and wear time vary.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
28 May 2026
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For wearers whose sensors regularly peel up early, adhesive overpatches can extend wear time.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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This savory, cheesy spread underneath.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 June 2026
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These bites of heaven get a double layer of cheesy goodness that's enough to make a Southern crowd holler.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Underdog startups and neglected divisions tell similar stories.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2026
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Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But when rains fall heavily between November and April, sticky clay soils make traveling around it tricky.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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One non-stick skillet for delicate foods (eggs, omelets, fish) and sticky batters (pancakes).—
Ryan Brennan
June 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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There are significant worries that AI can readily go off the rails or otherwise dispense unsuitable or even egregiously inappropriate mental health advice.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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The trend was further compounded in koalas with chlamydiosis -- a common bacterial disease among the species -- and those found in unsuitable conditions, Mella said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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While some people may consider reality shows unserious, dramatic and even trashy, the genre seems to have become a training ground for politics.—
Saige Miller,
NPR,
31 May 2026
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The target of his satire is not just the wealthy, castle-dwelling Jo Stoyte, clearly modeled on Hearst, but American society writ large, with its trashy consumerism and childish veneration of riches.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tacky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tacky. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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