Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

waxy

1 American  
[wak-see] / ˈwæk si /

adjective

waxier, waxiest

  1. resembling wax in appearance or characteristics.

    His face had a waxy shine.

  2. abounding in, covered with, or made of wax.

    Be careful! The floor is waxy.

  3. pliable, yielding, or impressionable.

    a waxy personality.
waxy 2 American  
[wak-see] / ˈwæk si /

adjective

Chiefly British.
waxier, waxiest

  1. angry.

waxy 1 British  
/ ˈwæksɪ /

adjective

  1. resembling wax in colour, appearance, or texture

  2. made of, covered with, or abounding in wax

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
waxy 2 British  
/ ˈwæksɪ /

adjective

  1. informal bad-tempered or irritable; angry

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • waxily adverb
  • waxiness noun

Etymology

Origin of waxy1

First recorded in 1545–55; wax 1 + -y 1

Origin of waxy2

First recorded in 1850–55; wax 3 + -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.

Bees, however, often coat their nests with a waxy secretion that creates a waterproof, polished interior.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Croda was founded in 1925 when George Crowe and Henry Dawe began producing lanolin, a waxy substance made from sheep's wool.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

They had a bouncy, waxy quality to them, almost marshmallow-like, but without any sort of discernible flavor.

From Salon • May 21, 2025

In a day and a half he can transform a waxy, light-brown football that’s fresh out of the box into a mahogany gem that feels like a perfectly worked-in baseball glove.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2024

Still, it is strange to see his pale, waxy skin, and his limbs stiff with death.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

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.