Tacky
'tæki
Definitions
2 meaningsShowing a lack of good taste; cheap, gaudy, or poorly made.
'tæki
Cheap or gaudy in appearance or quality.
The souvenir shop was filled with tacky trinkets.
💡 Simply: Imagine someone wearing too many bright colors at once, or having a decoration that's really out there and not in a good way. It's like something that looks a bit, well, 'off'. For example, wearing socks with sandals at a fancy party is pretty tacky.
👶 For kids: When something looks silly and not very nice, like putting too many stickers on your backpack.
More Examples
The decor of the hotel room was surprisingly tacky.
His attempt at humor was considered tacky by the audience.
How It's Used
"Her outfit was considered tacky because it was overly colorful and mismatched."
"The house had tacky decorations that clashed with each other."
"Making jokes at a funeral is often seen as a tacky action."
Having the quality of sticking to a surface; adhesive or gluey.
'tæki
Sticky or adhesive.
The paint was still slightly tacky to the touch.
💡 Simply: Imagine when you're trying to peel off a sticker and it leaves a bit of sticky stuff behind. That stickiness? That's 'tacky' in another way. For example, the paint was still tacky hours after I applied it.
👶 For kids: When something is a little sticky and can stick to things, like a glue stick.
More Examples
After the glue dried, it remained tacky enough to hold the pieces together.
The tape left a tacky residue on the surface.
How It's Used
"The glue became tacky after a few seconds."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Origin uncertain, possibly from the word 'tack' (meaning to fasten loosely). The sense of 'cheap' or 'gaudy' developed in the 20th century.
The word's use to describe visual aesthetics became more prevalent in the mid-20th century, initially linked to cheap or poorly made items.
Memory tip
Think of a poorly glued or 'tacked' item that looks cheap and unfinished.
Word Origin
"Initially referred to the quality of sticking or fastening something, evolving to describe a lack of taste."