Tacky meaning

tăk'ē
Slightly adhesive or gummy to the touch; sticky.
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Of a substance, slightly sticky.

This paint isn't dry yet - it's still a bit tacky.

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The definition of tacky is something tasteless and overdone, or something that is still sticky.

A really ugly, gaudy and poorly decorated house is an example of something that would be described as tacky.

Sticky paint that isn't yet dry is an example of something that would be described as tacky.

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Flimsy, rundown, or in poor repair.
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Sticky.
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Dowdy or shabby, as in dress or appearance.
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In poor taste; inelegant.
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(colloquial) Of low quality.

That market stall sells all sorts of tacky ornaments.

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(colloquial) In poor taste.

That was a tacky thing to say.

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Shabby, dowdy (in one's appearance)
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Origin of tacky

  • From tackey an inferior horse
    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
  • From tack
    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
  • Compare techy, tack a spot.
    From Wiktionary

Tacky Sentence Examples

  • "Tacky float," was Fred's comment.

  • Sorry. Seems kinda tacky to bring it up.

  • It appears to be the principal cause of stickiness or the " tacky " condition of some rubbers, which considerably depreciates their commercial value.

  • Some shampoos are self-rinsing, which means they require no water rinse and will dry without feeling tacky, and there are even dry shampoos in powder form that can provide a quick refresher between full baths.

  • It's very important that you make sure the animated image you're using as a background image isn't terribly distracting or tacky, no matter where on your web page you decide to place it or how large it is.

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Also Mentioned In

Words near tacky in the Dictionary