sticky

American  

[stik-ee] / ˈstɪk i /

adjective

stickier, stickiest

1. having the property of adhering, as glue; adhesive.

2. covered with adhesive or viscid matter.

   sticky hands.

3. (of the weather or climate) hot and humid.

   It was an unbearably sticky day.

   Synonyms:

   steamy, damp, sultry, muggy

4. requiring careful treatment; awkwardly difficult.

   a rather sticky diplomatic problem; Breaking the news is going to be sticky.

5. Informal. unpleasant; unfortunate; nasty.

   The villain of the story meets a sticky end.

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noun

plural

stickies

1. one of a number of small sheets of paper on a pad, each having an adhesive backing that allows it to be positioned and repositioned on smooth surfaces.

sticky British  

/ ˈstɪkɪ /

adjective

1. covered or daubed with an adhesive or viscous substance

   sticky fingers

2. having the property of sticking to a surface

3. (of weather or atmosphere) warm and humid; muggy

4. (of prices) tending not to fall in deflationary conditions

5. informal difficult, awkward, or painful

   a sticky business

6. informal sentimental

7. (of a website) encouraging users to visit repeatedly

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verb

1. informal (tr) to make sticky

noun

1. short for stickybeak

2. an inquisitive look or stare (esp in the phrase have a sticky at )

Other Word Forms

• nonsticky adjective
• stickily adverb
• stickiness noun
• unsticky adjective

Etymology

Origin of sticky

1720–30; 1910–15 sticky for def. 4; stick ² + -y ¹

Example Sentences

“While falling energy prices and improved crop supply should help ease some cost pressures, increased public policy costs and regulation will likely keep inflation sticky,” BRC Chief Executive Officer Helen Dickinson said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Who would have thought serums infused with snail mucin - the sticky substance they secrete - would become a part of skincare routines around the world?

From BBC

Yet that will come with a suffering labor market and sticky inflation, she cautions.

From MarketWatch

Chelsea are fifth but they are on a sticky run at the moment, with only one win in six league games.

From BBC

The two theater greats are joined by Sinclair Daniel, who plays Parker, the agent who has to anticipate Alexander’s every move and be the puppet-master in his head when the situation grows sticky.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• awkward
• delicate
• heavy
• knotty
• rough
• thorny
• tricky