Tacky — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈta-kē/

Meaning & Definition of Tacky

Tacky (adjective)

  1. somewhat sticky to the touch; also, characterized by tack, adhesive
  2. not having or exhibiting good taste
  3. marked by cheap showiness, gaudy
  4. marked by lack of style, dowdy

Tacky (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste

    "it was tacky to wear sneakers to the wedding"

    "tacky plastic flowers"

    similar: cheesy, dowdy, inelegant, styleless, tasteless, ticky-tacky, trashy, unfashionable, unstylish
    related: graceless, inappropriate, incorrect, unbecoming, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong, outmoded, out-of-date, passé, coarse, crude, unrefined, vulgar, cheap, common, inferior, junky, lousy, low-grade, second-rate, shoddy, sleazy, tawdry, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, grotesque, kitsch, kitschy, loud, ostentatious, overdone, showy, splashy
    opposite: chic, classic, classy, elegant, exquisite, fashionable, fine, posh, ritzy, smart, sophisticated, stylish, tasteful
    near: appropriate, becoming, correct, fitting, proper, right, seemly, suitable, conservative, genteel, handsome, neat, quiet, refined, restrained, simple, understated, contemporary, modern, up-to-date, à la mode, happening, in, modish, swank

  2. showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect

    "a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery"

    similar: beat-up, bombed-out, dilapidated, dog-eared, down-at-the-heels, dumpy, grungy, mangy, mean, miserable, moth-eaten, neglected, ratty, run-down, scrubby, scruffy, seedy, shabby, sleazy, tatterdemalion, tatty, threadbare, timeworn, tumbledown, gone to seed
    related: abandoned, unkept, desolate, forlorn, godforsaken, broken-down, decrepit, tired, worn-out, bedraggled, dingy, ragged, tattered, decaying, deteriorated, deteriorating, rackety, ramshackle, rattletrap, rickety, broken, damaged, destroyed, harmed, hurt, impaired, injured, ruined, wrecked
    near: brand-new, fresh, new, cared-for, kept-up, maintained, mended, patched, rebuilt, reconstructed, smart, spiffy, spruce

  3. tending to adhere to objects upon contact

    "don't touch the walls while the fresh paint is still tacky"

    similar: adherent, adhesive, clingy, gluey, glutinous, gummy, sticky, tenacious, viscid
    related: gelatinous, gooey, ropy, syrupy, viscous, pitchy, tarry
    opposite: nonadhesive
    near: nonviscous

Related Entry: Ticky-tacky (adjective)

Ticky-tacky is a different word from Tacky. The synonyms below are for ticky-tacky, not for tacky.

  1. marked by an obvious lack of style or good taste

    "her house is full of ticky-tacky figurines"

    similar: cheesy, dowdy, inelegant, styleless, tacky, tasteless, trashy, unfashionable, unstylish
    related: graceless, inappropriate, incorrect, unbecoming, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong, outmoded, out-of-date, passé, coarse, crude, unrefined, vulgar, cheap, common, inferior, junky, lousy, low-grade, second-rate, shoddy, sleazy, tawdry, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, grotesque, kitsch, kitschy, loud, ostentatious, overdone, showy, splashy
    opposite: chic, classic, classy, elegant, exquisite, fashionable, fine, posh, ritzy, smart, sophisticated, stylish, tasteful
    near: appropriate, becoming, correct, fitting, proper, right, seemly, suitable, conservative, genteel, handsome, neat, quiet, refined, restrained, simple, understated, contemporary, modern, up-to-date, à la mode, happening, in, modish, swank

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Tacky

The most common words with a similar meaning to Tacky:

cheesy, dowdy, inelegant, styleless, tasteless, ticky-tacky, trashy, unfashionable, unstylish, beat-up, bombed-out, dilapidated, dog-eared, down-at-the-heels, dumpy, grungy, mangy, mean, miserable, moth-eaten, neglected, ratty, run-down, scrubby, scruffy, seedy, shabby, sleazy, tatterdemalion, tatty, threadbare, timeworn, tumbledown, gone to seed, adherent, adhesive, clingy, gluey, glutinous, gummy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Tacky

Words with the opposite meaning of Tacky:

chic, classic, classy, elegant, exquisite, fashionable, fine, posh, ritzy, smart, sophisticated, stylish, tasteful, nonadhesive

Related Words for Tacky

graceless, inappropriate, incorrect, unbecoming, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong, outmoded, out-of-date, passé, coarse, crude, unrefined, vulgar, cheap, common, inferior, junky, lousy, low-grade, second-rate, shoddy, tawdry, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, grotesque, kitsch, kitschy

Near Antonyms of Tacky

appropriate, becoming, correct, fitting, proper, right, seemly, suitable, conservative, genteel, handsome, neat, quiet, refined, restrained, simple, understated, contemporary, modern, up-to-date, à la mode, happening, in, modish, swank, brand-new, fresh, new, cared-for, kept-up

Word Forms of Tacky

Inflections: tackier, tackiest

Origin & Etymology of Tacky

tack:2

First known use: 1788

Words & Phrases Containing Tacky

ticky-tacky

Frequently Asked Questions about Tacky

What does "Tacky" mean?

"Tacky" means somewhat sticky to the touch; also, characterized by tack, adhesive. As an adjective, it is defined as: somewhat sticky to the touch; also, characterized by tack, adhesive. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Tacky"?

Other words for "Tacky" include cheesy, dowdy, inelegant, styleless, tasteless, ticky-tacky, trashy and unfashionable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Tacky" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Tacky"?

There are 114 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Tacky". Common alternatives include cheesy, dowdy, inelegant, styleless, tasteless, ticky-tacky, trashy, unfashionable, unstylish and beat-up.

What is the opposite of "Tacky"?

Antonyms of "Tacky" include chic, classic, classy, elegant, exquisite, fashionable, fine and posh. Near antonyms include appropriate, becoming, correct and fitting.

How do you use "Tacky" in a sentence?

Examples of "Tacky" in a sentence: "it was tacky to wear sneakers to the wedding"; "tacky plastic flowers"; "a tacky old couch that needed new upholstery".

Is "Tacky" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Tacky" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Tacky"?

"Tacky" is pronounced /ˈta-kē/.

What is the origin of the word "Tacky"?

"Tacky" comes from tack:2. First known use: 1788.