Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Tastelessly showy or cheap in appearance: Having a gaudy, flashy, or cheap quality that shows poor taste.
   • Slightly sticky to the touch: Having a sticky or adhesive quality, often because something (like paint or glue) is not fully dry.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective (Tastelessly showy):
  • The hotel lobby was decorated with tacky plastic furniture.
  • She thought the oversized jewelry looked tacky and unsophisticated.
• Adjective (Slightly sticky):
  • Be careful not to touch the table; the varnish is still tacky.
  • The tape left a tacky residue on the wall.

Advanced Usage

• "tacky behavior": Refers to actions considered in poor taste or lacking class.
  • It was considered tacky behavior to discuss money at the dinner party.

Variants and Related Words

• Tackiness (noun): The quality of being tacky.
  • The tackiness of the paint made it difficult to apply a second coat.
  • He was surprised by the sheer tackiness of the souvenir shop.

Synonyms

• Gaudy: Excessively bright and showy, typically so as to be tasteless.
• Tawdry: Showy but cheap and of poor quality.
• Cheap: Ostentatious but lacking style or quality.
• Sticky: Tending or designed to stick to things on contact; adhesive.

Antonyms

• Elegant: Pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
• Tasteful: Showing good aesthetic judgment or appropriate behavior.
• Dry: Free from moisture or liquid; not wet or sticky.

Adjective

1. tastelessly showy
   • a flash car
   • a flashy ring
   • garish colors
   • a gaudy costume
   • loud sport shirts
   • a meretricious yet stylish book
   • tawdry ornaments
2. (of a glutinous liquid such as paint) not completely dried and slightly sticky to the touch
   • tacky varnish