# sticky

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈstɪki/ · frequency rank #9,673

## Definitions
1. Tending to stick; able to adhere via the drying of a viscous substance.
2. Difficult, awkward.
3. Of a death: unpleasant, grisly.
4. Of weather: hot and windless and with high humidity, so that people feel sticky from sweating.
5. Mawkish, sentimental.
6. Tending to stay the same; resistant to change.
7. Persistent.
8. Appearing on all virtual desktops.
9. Fixed at the top of the list of topics or threads so as to keep it in view.
10. Compelling enough to keep visitors from leaving.
11. Resembling or characteristic of a stick.

## Etymology
From stick + -y.

## Easily confused with
- **stock** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stock)
- **stuck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stuck)
- **stink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stink)
- **sucky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-sucky)
- **stocks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stocks)
- **stinks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stinks)
- **stinky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stinky)
- **stingy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stingy)
- **stocky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticky-vs-stocky)
- **sick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sick-vs-sticky)
- **stick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-sticky)
- **stack** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-sticky)
- **spicy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spicy-vs-sticky)
- **slick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/slick-vs-sticky)
- **Stacy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stacy-vs-sticky)
- **silky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/silky-vs-sticky)
- **spiky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiky-vs-sticky)
- **sticks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sticks-vs-sticky)
- **stacks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stacks-vs-sticky)
- **Stacey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stacey-vs-sticky)

## Common misspellings (10)
`sitcky`, `ssticky`, `stciky`, `sticcky`, `stickky`, `stickyy`, `sticyk`, `stikcy`, `stticky`, `tsicky`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sticky