sticky

UK: /ˈstɪki/ US: /ˈstɪki/ ,(stik′ē)

Inflections of 'sticky' (adj):

stickier

adj comparative

stickiest

adj superlative

Inflections of 'sticky' (n): npl: stickies

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

stick•y /ˈstɪki/   adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

1. being able to stick to other things, as glue;
   adhesive.
2. covered with matter that sticks easily to other things.
3. (of the weather or climate) hot and humid:
   a sticky day in the tropics.
4. requiring careful treatment:
   a sticky problem.

stick•i•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

stick•y  (stik′ē), adj., stick•i•er, stick•i•est. 

1. having the property of adhering, as glue;
   adhesive.
2. covered with adhesive or viscid matter:
   sticky hands.
3. (of the weather or climate) hot and humid:
   It was an unbearably sticky day.
4. requiring careful treatment;
   awkwardly difficult:
   a rather sticky diplomatic problem; Breaking the news is going to be sticky.
5. [Informal.] unpleasant;
   unfortunate;
   nasty:
   The villain of the story meets a sticky end.

• 1720–30; 1910–15 for def. 4; stick² + -y¹

stick′i•ly, adv. 
stick′i•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 3. muggy, sultry, damp, steamy.

sticky +n., pl. stick•ies. 

1. 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.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sticky / ˈstɪkɪ/ adjective (stickier, stickiest)

1. covered or daubed with an adhesive or viscous substance: sticky fingers
2. having the property of sticking to a surface
3. (of weather or atmosphere) warm and humid; muggy
4. difficult, awkward, or painful: a sticky business
5. (of a website) encouraging users to visit repeatedly

verb (stickies, stickying, stickied)

1. (transitive) to make sticky

noun (stickies)

1. short for stickybeak

ˈstickily adverb

ˈstickiness noun