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
Relevance
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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tacky
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The tackier the better The dominant aesthetic of the administration comes not from antiquity but from AI slop, the tackier and more juvenile the better.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
But an engine fueled by filling in the blanks isn’t built to last, and these dots, once connected, prove tacky and sour (especially without Pennywise, who’s notably absent for most of the season).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
There are few things in the outdoors as fun as zipping through the woods down a tacky dirt trail with soft bank turns and mellow lil whoopty whoop jumps.
—Outside Online, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tacky
Adjective
The familiar formula of group portraits, superlatives, and tacky collages was already in place, and already stale.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The tackier the better The dominant aesthetic of the administration comes not from antiquity but from AI slop, the tackier and more juvenile the better.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
But an engine fueled by filling in the blanks isn’t built to last, and these dots, once connected, prove tacky and sour (especially without Pennywise, who’s notably absent for most of the season).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
There are few things in the outdoors as fun as zipping through the woods down a tacky dirt trail with soft bank turns and mellow lil whoopty whoop jumps.
—Outside Online, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tacky
Cite this Entry
“Tacky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tacky. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share