Synonyms

chalky

American

[chaw-kee] / ˈtʃɔ ki /

adjective

chalkier, chalkiest

of or like chalk.
of a chalklike consistency.

chalky soil.
without resonance, color, warmth, etc..

several high tones that were quite chalky.
Photography. lacking in detail, due to extreme contrast.

a chalky print.
Sports Slang. relating to the competitor considered most likely to win by the oddsmakers.

Sports betting is boring if all you make are chalky picks—put some money on a long shot and live a little!

Other Word Forms

chalkiness noun
nonchalky adjective
unchalky adjective

Etymology

Origin of chalky

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English chalki, chalky; chalk, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Pull the pan from the heat before you stir them in — this is how you avoid the dreaded graininess, that chalky betrayal.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

This year, when only four double-digit seeds reached the second round, the chalky strategy turned out to be the right one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

"We're connecting tiny chalky organisms to planetary carbon flows," says Dr. Guerreiro.

From Science Daily • Oct. 10, 2025

In March, before the tough one-day classic Strade Bianche - a 215km race encompassing the loose, chalky roads of Tuscany - he was asked about his plan to win.

From BBC • May 3, 2024

Geraniums blazed from the white housefronts, the red of them, against the chalky clapboard, fierce and harrowing.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023