sexy
Americanadjective
-
provoking or intended to provoke sexual interest
a sexy dress
a sexy book
-
feeling sexual interest; aroused
-
interesting, exciting, or trendy
a sexy project
a sexy new car
Usage
What is a basic definition of sexy? Sexy describes something as arousing interest related to sex, having a large amount of sex-related content, or being very exciting. If something is sexy, it causes sexual arousal in people who are exposed to it or it is designed to emphasize sexual matters. Sexy can be used to describe both other people and objects. A person may describe themselves as sexy if they feel confident and attractive. Something that is more sexually arousing than something else is sexier, and something that is the most arousing is sexiest.
- Real-life examples: Models often wear sexy clothing in advertisements. Exotic dancers perform sexy dances to entertain customers. People magazine annually ranks the sexiest men alive.
- Used in a sentence: The actor recited the lines using a sexy voice.
- Real-life examples: Pornography often takes the form of sexy movies. Romance novels are often (but not always) sexy books. Singer Barry White is famous for writing many sexy songs.
- Used in a sentence: Joe hid his sexy magazines so his little brother wouldn’t find them.
- Real-life examples: A shiny new sports car might be described as a sexy car. A laptop that is sleek and eye catching may be said to have a sexy design.
- Used in a sentence: Paying your rent might not be sexy, but it keeps a roof over your head.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of sexy
Explanation
If a movie review describes an actor as sexy, it means he's extremely attractive and appealing. These days, this word can also be used to describe anything exciting or stylish: you might wish your old flip phone had all the sexy features of a sleek smartphone but, hey, at least you can make calls! When a person is described as sexy, they're interesting in a romantic or arousing way. A sexy song might be incredibly romantic, made for slow dancing, or an ad might tout sexy shoes that look amazing and will be the envy of all your friends. The word sexy is often used more broadly to refer to appealing or enticing things — clothes, cars, even ideas. Before sexy was coined, around 1905, the equivalent word was sexful.
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.
See Examples For:
Under the gaze of actress Rosario Dawson, pieces by designer Ermanno Daelli took on a rock and sexy edge, while remaining adaptable to many summer outfits.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
“It’s like a love letter to Black queer culture, our intimacy. It’s so sexy without me and her having an overt love interest. It just feels so implied in this smart way.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
"Even wheelchair bound, he continued to be so sweet and generous with his fans," wrote his Rocky Horror co-star Susan Sarandon, who described Curry as a "funny, sexy, original".
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
At the same time, he said he pulled back on sexy but ultimately useless initiatives, like robot servers, and has been selective about which generative AI applications are worth pursuing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
“It’s a private joke. Only the really sexy, really cool people know what it means.”
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
That 1995 production took a form of cultural heritage and, by making it sexier and showier, created a world-conquering, indestructible juggernaut that threatened to trample the gentler values of a tradition.
From New York Times ● Feb. 16, 2024
I think it was caught up in that moment where being a tech company was sexier.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2023
Some drivers believe those advances threaten American auto racing, stiffening competition for fans and nascent drivers who may gravitate toward a sexier, more global sport.
From Washington Post ● May 28, 2022
Perhaps a poor showing this weekend would have made Speedway Motorsports strongly consider bumping Dover off the slate completely to a sexier new site.
From Washington Times ● May 3, 2022
The idea of a "detox" day sounds a lot sexier than it actually is.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2020
The 36-year-old was also named as one of People magazine's sexiest men of the year, external for 2023 - which Travis reacted to in typical brotherly fashion on their podcast.
From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2024
Poles and wires are not typically the sexiest of topics in a world of high-stakes politics, war, social media and the glamour of Hollywood.
From New York Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
It was hardly the sexiest transaction of the first evening of the NFL draft, let alone the entire weekend, but the business the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots conducted Thursday was plenty intriguing.
From Washington Post ● May 2, 2023
For starters, his meteoric rise happens literally overnight, and his success is comically huge: he’s on the cover of every magazine, named sexiest man alive, and breaks virtually every sales record in the industry.
From The Verge ● Sep. 12, 2022
“Let me tell you: Dick Donner directing is truly the sexiest man alive,” Shuler Donner said at a film academy tribute to the director in 2017.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 5, 2021
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.
