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
• grotesque
• unstylish
• styleless
• unseemly
• unbecoming
• outmoded
• tawdry
• out-of-date
• coarse
• gaudy
• 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 meringue that had about 50% sugar was super tacky. —Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026

Amazon Prime’s The Girlfriend, about Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke engaging in a high-stakes tug-of-war between a mother and her son’s girlfriend, would have been an incredibly tacky old-timey Globes pick. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026

Meanwhile, the shoes are also recognized by their signature gum sole, which is naturally tackier than standard rubber and can grip better on slick flooring. —Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 3 Jan. 2026

Changes in manure, often reported to be dry or tacky. —Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 14 Dec. 2025