sticky wickets

noun

plural of sticky wicket
as in pickles
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape with both sets of in-laws insisting that we spend Thanksgiving with them, we were on a sticky wicket indeed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sticky wickets Of philosophy’s many sticky wickets, consciousness is perhaps the most perplexing. — Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticky wickets
  1. pickles
  2. dilemmas
  3. predicaments
  4. holes
  5. swamps
Noun
  • Here, instead of the mustard that’s included in many classic potato salad recipes, sour cream, vinegar, and briny pickles team up to lend a lovely amount of tartness to cut through the richness of the potatoes, eggs, and mayo.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • The tartness of capers, lemon juice, and pickles balances the rich flavors.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Definition of pickles
Noun
  • UAVs can extend reach, generate mass, create dilemmas, and impose costs.
    — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Instead of adding more junk to your drawers, these clever gadgets actually solve kitchen dilemmas we’re all faced with.
    — Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
Definition of dilemmas
Noun
  • Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.
    — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
  • The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of predicaments
Noun
  • The Chileans drilled holes allowing workers to insert a camera and pinpoint his location.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • Plus, Hannah Vanbiber uncovers why World Cup players are cutting holes in their socks.
    — The Athletic, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of holes
Noun
  • Florida alligator safety Alligators have inhabited Florida's marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for centuries and are found in all of Florida's 67 counties.
    — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • For millions of years between 350 and 280 million years ago (about 30 million years before the first dinosaurs), these croc-like animals ruled the rivers, swamps, and lakes of the ancient world.
    — Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Definition of swamps

Browse Nearby Words

sticky wicket
sticky wickets
sties
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Cite this Entry

“Sticky wickets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sticky%20wickets. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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