gooey
Americanadjective
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like or covered with goo; sticky; viscid.
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Informal. extremely sentimental or emotionally effusive.
adjective
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sticky, soft, and often sweet
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oversweet and sentimental
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gooey
Explanation
Gooey things are drippy and soft, as well as sticky. Your very favorite dessert might be a huge, melty, gooey hot fudge sundae. Few things are more annoying than stepping on something gooey on the sidewalk, or getting a gooey piece of gum stuck in your hair. Gooey candy, likewise, might taste delicious but get stuck in your teeth. The informal gooey is the perfect way to describe these gummy, tacky substances, and it comes from American-coined slang, from goo, probably a shortened form of the now-obsolete burgoo, meaning "thick porridge."
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.
Gooey founder, Jake Ansbro said: "On gig days town is definitely busier - and we, along with many other hospitality businesses, are feeling the positive impact it's having on the city."
From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026
Introduced in 1995, Gooey Louie was advertised as “grosser than gross.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025
Gooey, flaky and delicious, butter tarts are a classic Canadian treat.
From New York Times • Jul. 9, 2022
Gooey stuff also “made a mess of the entire kitchen,” police say.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 23, 2018
Gooey cheese and buttery, crisp bread make for a great photo — try to get someone to pull the sandwich apart for some major cheese stretch action.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2016
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
