sticky
Americanadjective
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having the property of adhering, as glue; adhesive.
-
covered with adhesive or viscid matter.
sticky hands.
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(of the weather or climate) hot and humid.
It was an unbearably sticky day.
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requiring careful treatment; awkwardly difficult.
a rather sticky diplomatic problem; Breaking the news is going to be sticky.
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Informal. unpleasant; unfortunate; nasty.
The villain of the story meets a sticky end.
noun
adjective
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covered or daubed with an adhesive or viscous substance
sticky fingers
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having the property of sticking to a surface
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(of weather or atmosphere) warm and humid; muggy
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(of prices) tending not to fall in deflationary conditions
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informal difficult, awkward, or painful
a sticky business
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informal sentimental
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(of a website) encouraging users to visit repeatedly
verb
noun
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short for stickybeak
-
an inquisitive look or stare (esp in the phrase have a sticky at )
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sticky
1720–30; 1910–15 sticky for def. 4; stick 2 + -y 1
Explanation
Things that easily adhere to other things are sticky. Glue and tape are sticky. So is a wad of chewed gum — especially when you step in it. Yuck. Many things are meant to be sticky, like the sticky notes you use for bookmarks or the sticky lint roller you use to remove cat hair from your pants. You can also describe hot, humid weather as sticky, or an awkward problem you can't easily shake: "They brought up a number of sticky issues in the meeting this morning." If someone has "sticky fingers," it means they're inclined to steal things.
Vocabulary lists containing sticky
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.
But even if that comes to pass, inflation excluding food and energy remains sticky, notably for services.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
That is sometimes when people’s tax situations get the most sticky.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
The track fuses West Coast serenity with East Coast grit: Lush keys evoke California’s glow while steady rim clicks and a sticky piano hook capture the rhythm of 1970s New York.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
It was a "really sticky and tough and scary situation", he said.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
The lid comes partway off, and cold, sticky liquid seeps through the fabric of my shirt.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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.
