sticky

adjective

ˈsti-kē 

stickier; stickiest

1

a

: adhesive

b(1)

: viscous, gluey

(2)

: coated with a sticky substance

2

: humid, muggy

also : clammy

3

: tending to stick

4

a

: disagreeable, unpleasant

came to a sticky end

b

: awkward, stiff

c

: difficult, problematic

a sticky situation

5

: excessively sentimental : cloying

stickily

ˈsti-kə-lē 

adverb

stickiness

ˈsti-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• adherent
• adhesive
• clingy
• gluey
• glutinous
• gummy
• tacky
• tenacious
• viscid

Examples of sticky in a Sentence

The sap is very sticky.

There is a sticky substance on the table.

The paint was still sticky.

The weather was hot and sticky.

Recent Examples on the Web

Aphids excrete the sap as honeydew, leaving leaves sticky and susceptible to sooty mold. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025

Pitchers were becoming too dominant with the sticky stuff. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2025

But this penultimate episode also seeds each storyline with sticky dilemmas that could have lethal consequences—ones the deciders may not anticipate. —Judy Berman, Time, 31 Mar. 2025

Pitchers were randomly checked throughout a game, and if there was any sticky residue on their fingers, they were thrown out and subject to fines and suspensions. —Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sticky

• sticky bun
• sticky fingers
• sticky note
• sticky-sweet
• sticky tape
• sticky wicket

Rhymes for sticky

• dickie
• dicky
• hickey
• micky
• nicky
• picky
• quickie
• rickey
• tricky
• colicky

Kids Definition

sticky

adjective

ˈstik-ē 

stickier; stickiest

1

a

: adhesive entry 1, gluey

sticky syrup

b

: coated with a sticky substance

the tabletop was sticky

2

: muggy, humid

a hot sticky day

3

: tending to stick

sticky windows

stickily

ˈstik-ə-lē 

adverb

stickiness

ˈstik-ē-nəs 

noun