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
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2
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery
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as in adhesive
tending to adhere to objects upon contact
don't touch the walls while the fresh paint is still tacky
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tacky
Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 3 Jan. 2026
Continue to beat on medium speed until dough is elastic, tacky, and pulls away cleanly from sides but still sticks slightly to bottom of bowl, about 5 minutes longer.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
Changes in manure, often reported to be dry or tacky.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 14 Dec. 2025
These types favor gleaming Roman columns, tacky gilding, and oversized everything, meant to imply domination, hierarchy, and regressive traditionalism.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tacky
Adjective
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.
—Cite this Entry
“Tacky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tacky. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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