Synonyms of tacky

tacky 1 of 2

adjective (1)

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

• inappropriate
• cheesy
• unsuitable
• trashy
• tasteless
• incorrect
• unfashionable
• wrong
• dowdy
• inelegant
• cheap
• loud
• ticky-tacky
• unstylish
• grotesque
• styleless
• unseemly
• unbecoming
• outmoded
• tawdry
• out-of-date
• gaudy
• coarse
• garish
• crude
• kitschy
• vulgar
• common
• graceless
• shoddy
• showy
• glitzy
• ostentatious
• flashy
• low-grade
• sleazy
• unrefined
• passé
• inferior
• kitsch
• second-rate
• lousy
• splashy
• junky
• overdone

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elegant
• classy
• appropriate
• tasteful
• sophisticated
• fine
• fashionable
• posh
• stylish
• classic
• chic
• exquisite
• suitable
• proper
• smart
• right
• correct
• fitting
• becoming
• simple
• seemly
• ritzy
• conservative
• neat
• modern
• quiet
• handsome
• understated
• restrained
• genteel
• contemporary
• refined
• up-to-date
• in
• happening
• modish
• swank
• à la mode

2

as in dilapidated

showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect

a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dilapidated
• neglected
• shabby
• miserable
• tatty
• dumpy
• desolate
• scruffy
• seedy
• tired
• tattered
• sleazy
• scrubby
• grungy
• mangy
• abandoned
• ratty
• ragged
• threadbare
• gone to seed
• timeworn
• ruined
• tumbledown
• down-at-the-heels
• beat-up
• broken
• mean
• run-down
• dog-eared
• moth-eaten
• bombed-out
• tatterdemalion
• unkept
• dingy
• damaged
• decrepit
• deteriorated
• forlorn
• wrecked
• destroyed
• ramshackle
• rickety
• decaying
• deteriorating
• godforsaken
• bedraggled
• worn-out
• broken-down
• injured
• hurt
• rackety
• impaired
• harmed
• rattletrap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• new
• fresh
• brand-new
• maintained
• kept-up
• reconstructed
• spiffy
• patched
• smart
• mended
• rebuilt
• cared-for
• spruce

tacky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

ˈta-kē 

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonviscous
• nonadhesive

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tacky

Adjective

The work is tacky in signifiers, excruciating in implication. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Ryu became the quiet triumphant fighter while Ken failed to make the tournament of champions, losing most of his self worth and now six years later a shadow of his former self, prone to tacky endorsements and minor celebrity. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026

According to Formlabs, this improves strength, toughness, heat resistance, and resistance to gradual deformation under sustained loads, while producing a harder, less tacky surface. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

What was created to be unique and delightfully tacky has become so boringly mainstream and expected. — Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026