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

Etymology

Origin of chalky

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English chalki, chalky; see origin at 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

Aryan loved the roaring sound of the engine fill the air and then grow louder as the plane cruised above him, leaving behind chalky threads of contrail in the sky,

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2025

I don’t get the Tylenol down on the first try, and I’m embarrassed by the chalky gag that results.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

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