tacky

1 of 2

adjective (1)

tackier; tackiest
: somewhat sticky to the touch
tacky varnish
also : characterized by tack : adhesive

tacky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

tackier; tackiest
1
: not having or exhibiting good taste: such as
a
: marked by cheap showiness : gaudy
a tacky publicity stunt
a tacky outfit
b
: marked by lack of style : dowdy
2
a
: characterized by lack of good breeding
couldn't run around downtown … in a bikini, which was tackyCyra McFadden
b
: shabby, seedy
a tacky town whose citrus groves were blighted by smokeBryce Nelson

Examples of tacky in a Sentence

Adjective (1) don't touch the walls while the fresh paint is still tacky Adjective (2) it was tacky to wear sneakers to the wedding tacky plastic flowers a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Stir 2/3 cup sour cream into the remaining gelatin mixture; spread over layers in dish and chill until firm but still tacky. Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2024 The reason is many professionals find a lot of transitions tacky. PCMAG, 1 May 2024 Disney+’s Marvel Cinematic Universe series are too polished to be awful or tacky — just compare them to the threadbare comic-book dramas of the ’70s and ’80s — but they are too bound by the rules and needs of the larger megaproperty to take creative leaps. James Poniewozik, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024 Call them tacky, or repulsive, but buffets elicit a hopeful, almost juvenile feeling of possibility. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024 The palm coating is also textured for a better grip, and the nitrile is tacky enough to pick up individual screws. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024 That morning, Nathan had prepared the dough for still more, a dome with a tacky surface now rising in a large bowl. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024 For the handle, squeeze a drop of tacky glue onto each end of a 1-inch length of pipe cleaner and adhere it to one side of the box. Kimberly Stoney, Parents, 21 Mar. 2024 Other films with tacky, tawdry titles that begged for straight-to-video release include: Liquid Dreams (1991), The Crazysitter (1994), A Dirty Shame (2004), Sunny & Share Love You (2007), and Becoming Blond (2012). Daniel Scheffler, SPIN, 1 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tacky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

tack entry 2

Adjective (2)

tacky a low-class person

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1788, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tacky was in 1788

Dictionary Entries Near tacky

Cite this Entry

“Tacky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tacky. Accessed 10 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

tacky

1 of 2 adjective
tackier; tackiest
: somewhat sticky to the touch
tacky varnish

tacky

2 of 2 adjective
tackier; tackiest
1
2
: marked by lack of style or good taste
a tacky outfit

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