How to Use tacky in a Sentence

tacky

adjective
  • Gen is sticking her tacky hats in the gift bags.
    — Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
  • Dough should be slightly tacky.
    — Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Her dress, makeup, hair and nails are tacky!
    — Essence, 11 May 2026
  • These, more than anything else, scream tacky.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Have had a scratchy throat and tacky breathing for a few days.
    — Eliza Fawcett, courant.com, 21 Sep. 2020
  • Each is a chewy, dark-brown puck, slightly tacky to the touch.
    — Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • Yet the show goes on, from their tacky dance number to the limo ride home.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 27 May 2026
  • Pour an inch or so of tacky glue into a paper cup.
    — Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Mar. 2026
  • If your dough feels wet and tacky, add more flour as necessary.
    — San Antonio Express-News, 2 Feb. 2021
  • The trails seemed to go on forever, the dirt was tacky and fast.
    — Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2021
  • Canned frosting tends to be pretty stiff, thick, and tacky.
    — Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 7 May 2026
  • Using a small bit of tacky glue, glue one end of string to inside of roll.
    — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2024
  • The formula isn’t sticky or tacky.
    — Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Roll each piece between your palms until round, smooth, and a bit tacky but not gooey.
    — Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2026
  • But if something is sticky, tacky, or seems to sit on the surface, try this method.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2023
  • Beat on low speed until a soft, tacky dough forms, about 2 minutes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2025
  • Unlike lip gloss or lipstick, a good lip balm won’t make your lips feel tacky or chalky.
    — Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2023
  • One coat of the primer creates a tacky surface for the gel to adhere to.
    — Annie Blay, Allure, 19 Dec. 2022
  • Critiquing a memoir seems tacky.
    — Brian Boone, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
  • Wait about 15 minutes for the glue to dry enough to become tacky.
    — Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
  • This resulted in great ribs with a dark, glossy finish and tacky sauce.
    — Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2023
  • Nothing tacky with a bunch of logos or anything!
    — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
  • There has never been a tacky superstar since me.
    — Jeff Ihaza, VIBE.com, 2 June 2026
  • The meringue that had about 50% sugar was super tacky.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Mama has a clear sense of right and wrong, tasteful and tacky, raised right and hooligan.
    — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Jan. 2023
  • If the cause of your stickiness is the cleaner, then your floors will have a tacky feel all over.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
  • This serum is light, cooling, dries quickly, and doesn’t leave my skin feeling tacky or glazed.
    — Ava Darrin, ELLE, 16 Nov. 2022
  • The whole production may be tacky, but the plot line is simply awful.
    — Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023
  • In the hand, the Zytel grip is just tacky enough and shaped perfectly.
    — Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
  • The formula melts into skin well and didn’t leave me feeling tacky or sticky.
    — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2025

Some of 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.

Last Updated: