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REFERENCE

sticky

adj. · n. · v.
US //ˈstɪki// UK //stˈɪki// sticky
  1. 1 adhesive (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    covered in a substance like glue or honey that attaches to things you touch.

    tending to adhere to surfaces upon contact due to a viscous or glutinous coating.

    Example

    The toddler had sticky fingers after eating a large piece of cake.

    Example

    The label left a sticky residue on the glass jar that required hot soapy water to remove completely.
  2. 2 humid weather (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    weather that is hot and damp, making you feel sweaty and uncomfortable.

    describing weather conditions characterized by high humidity and heat, causing skin to feel tacky from perspiration.

    Example

    It was a hot, sticky afternoon, and the air conditioning was broken.

    Example

    The tropical climate was particularly sticky in August, with humidity levels rarely dropping below eighty percent even after nightfall.
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  1. 3 difficult or awkward (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    a situation that is tricky, embarrassing, or hard to deal with.

    characterised by difficulty, awkwardness, or potential for social or professional embarrassment.

    Example

    The manager found himself in a sticky situation when two employees started arguing.

    Example

    Negotiations reached a sticky patch when the two parties realized they had fundamentally different expectations regarding the budget.
  2. 4 internet content (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a website or app that is so interesting that people stay on it for a long time.

    referring to digital content or platforms designed to retain visitor attention and encourage repeat engagement.

    Example

    The marketing team wants to make the blog more sticky to keep readers on the site.

    Example

    The developer implemented several social features to increase the app's stickiness and reduce the daily churn rate.
  3. 5 adhesive note (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    a small piece of paper with a strip of glue on the back for leaving notes.

    a small square of paper with a re-adherable strip of adhesive on the reverse side.

    Example

    I left a yellow sticky on your computer screen to remind you about the meeting.

    Example

    The whiteboard was covered in colourful stickies representing different stages of the project's development.
    • post it
    • sticky note
  4. 6 to fix at the top (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Computing

    to keep a message or post at the very top of a list so everyone sees it.

    to pin a digital thread or post to the top of a forum or feed to ensure maximum visibility.

    Example

    The moderator decided to sticky the rules so new members would read them first.

    Example

    After the announcement went viral, the administrator stickied the thread to prevent the same questions from being asked repeatedly.
    • unpin
Origin

From stick + -y.

Idioms3 entries

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