Word
sticky
US/ˈstɪki/
UK/stˈɪki/
Definitions
01adhesive
B1 · Intermediate
adj. covered in a substance like glue or honey that attaches to things you touch.
adj. tending to adhere to surfaces upon contact due to a viscous or glutinous coating.
“The toddler had sticky fingers after eating a large piece of cake.”
“The label left a sticky residue on the glass jar that required hot soapy water to remove completely.”
02humid weather
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. weather that is hot and damp, making you feel sweaty and uncomfortable.
adj. describing weather conditions characterized by high humidity and heat, causing skin to feel tacky from perspiration.
“It was a hot, sticky afternoon, and the air conditioning was broken.”
“The tropical climate was particularly sticky in August, with humidity levels rarely dropping below eighty percent even after nightfall.”
03difficult or awkward
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. a situation that is tricky, embarrassing, or hard to deal with.
adj. characterised by difficulty, awkwardness, or potential for social or professional embarrassment.
“The manager found himself in a sticky situation when two employees started arguing.”
“Negotiations reached a sticky patch when the two parties realized they had fundamentally different expectations regarding the budget.”
Antonyms
04internet content
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
adj. a website or app that is so interesting that people stay on it for a long time.
adj. referring to digital content or platforms designed to retain visitor attention and encourage repeat engagement.
“The marketing team wants to make the blog more sticky to keep readers on the site.”
“The developer implemented several social features to increase the app's stickiness and reduce the daily churn rate.”
Synonyms
05adhesive note
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a small piece of paper with a strip of glue on the back for leaving notes.
n. a small square of paper with a re-adherable strip of adhesive on the reverse side.
Español:recado adherible
“I left a yellow sticky on your computer screen to remind you about the meeting.”
“The whiteboard was covered in colourful stickies representing different stages of the project's development.”
Synonyms
06to fix at the top
C1 · Advanced Computing Informal
v. to keep a message or post at the very top of a list so everyone sees it.
v. to pin a digital thread or post to the top of a forum or feed to ensure maximum visibility.
“The moderator decided to sticky the rules so new members would read them first.”
“After the announcement went viral, the administrator stickied the thread to prevent the same questions from being asked repeatedly.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sticky” in context.
Verb
01. get into a sticky situation
“He got into a sticky situation when he accidentally sent the private email to the whole department.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
02. leave the floor sticky
“The spilled soda left the kitchen floor incredibly sticky.”
verb + noun + adj
Adjective
03. hot and sticky
“The weather in the jungle was hot and sticky, making it difficult to breathe comfortably.”
adj + and + adj
04. unpleasantly sticky
“My hands felt unpleasantly sticky after I finished peeling the ripe mangoes.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. sticky fingers
“The toddler had sticky fingers after eating a large piece of chocolate cake.”
adj + noun
06. sticky note
“She left a yellow sticky note on the monitor to remind him about the meeting.”
adj + noun
07. sticky rice
“We ordered mango with sticky rice for dessert at the Thai restaurant.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“Who’s had their sticky fingers in the pie?” “Fill it once with water, weigh what comes out, and write the number on a sticky note.” “The skin comes off, the sticky sugar-rich mucilage stays on, and the bean dries wearing it.” Etymology
From stick + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/sticky
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0