WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
stick•y /ˈstɪki/USA pronunciation
adj., -i•er, -i•est.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- being able to stick to other things, as glue;
adhesive. - covered with matter that sticks easily to other things.
- (of the weather or climate) hot and humid:a sticky day in the tropics.
- requiring careful treatment:a sticky problem.
stick•y
(stik′ē),USA pronunciation adj., stick•i•er, stick•i•est.
stick′i•ly, adv.
stick′i•ness, n.
sticky +n., pl. stick•ies.
- having the property of adhering, as glue;
adhesive. - covered with adhesive or viscid matter:sticky hands.
- (of the weather or climate) hot and humid:It was an unbearably sticky day.
- requiring careful treatment;
awkwardly difficult:a rather sticky diplomatic problem; Breaking the news is going to be sticky. - [Informal.]unpleasant;
unfortunate;
nasty:The villain of the story meets a sticky end.
- 1720–30; 1910–15 for def. 4; stick2 + -y1
stick′i•ness, n.
- 3. muggy, sultry, damp, steamy.
sticky +n., pl. stick•ies.
- 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.
'stickiness' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):