ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Tacky

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈtæki/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Tacky is an adjective meaning Of a substance, slightly sticky.

Meaning

Of a substance, slightly sticky.

More Meanings

  1. (colloquial) Of low quality.
  2. (colloquial) In poor taste.
  3. Gaudy or flashy.
  4. Shabby, dowdy in one's appearance or dress.
  5. Alternative form of tackey.

Example Sentences

That was a tacky thing to say.
This paint isn't dry yet; it's still a bit tacky.
That market stall sells all sorts of tacky ornaments.
Steve Randle was seventeen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls. He was tacky, smart, and Soda's best buddy since grade school.

Word Forms

Synonyms for tacky

Depending on context, synonyms include flashy, showy, garish, dowdy, tawdry, brassy.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include trashy, tawdry, gimcrack, meretricious, garish, gaudy.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.