Icky
adjective
Something that is disgusting or unpleasant.
I picked up the icky worm with a stick.
Often appears as...
- icky taste
- icky feeling
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
adjective
Excessively sentimental or emotional.
John's proposal was overly fancy and a bit icky for her taste.
Often appears as...
- icky vibe
- icky feeling
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
adjective
Something that is disgusting or unpleasant.
I picked up the icky worm with a stick.
Often appears as...
- icky taste
- icky feeling
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
adjective
Excessively sentimental or emotional.
John's proposal was overly fancy and a bit icky for her taste.
Often appears as...
- icky vibe
- icky feeling
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Discomfort
Use 'icky' to describe physical things that make your body uncomfortable or queasy.
The icky slimy texture of raw eggs made her reluctant to touch them.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Reaction
'Icky' often expresses a strong emotional response of distaste or discomfort.
He felt an icky sense of dread walking through the abandoned house.
Pro Tip 3/3Child-Friendly Term
Children often use 'icky' to describe something they find unpleasant or gross.
The child said the medicine tasted icky and refused to take it.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Discomfort
Use 'icky' to describe physical things that make your body uncomfortable or queasy.
The icky slimy texture of raw eggs made her reluctant to touch them.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Reaction
'Icky' often expresses a strong emotional response of distaste or discomfort.
He felt an icky sense of dread walking through the abandoned house.
Pro Tip 3/3Child-Friendly Term
Children often use 'icky' to describe something they find unpleasant or gross.
The child said the medicine tasted icky and refused to take it.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Discomfort
Use 'icky' to describe physical things that make your body uncomfortable or queasy.
The icky slimy texture of raw eggs made her reluctant to touch them.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Reaction
'Icky' often expresses a strong emotional response of distaste or discomfort.
He felt an icky sense of dread walking through the abandoned house.
Pro Tip 3/3Child-Friendly Term
Children often use 'icky' to describe something they find unpleasant or gross.
The child said the medicine tasted icky and refused to take it.
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Video examples
3 ways to be a more...
When you think about how to do this work, it's important to remember that money makes the world go round. You hear that all the time, but it's true. Whether you're a nonprofit, for-profit, or you pay your own bills. We often feel like talking about it is this icky, embarrassing, ugly thing, but it's just money.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 138 PIPE...
quiet for not so long look what's happened to me I just want to show you if anybody that does not suffer from grass allergies this is literally my life look at that look at those welts you're amazing they're so cool and they're so icky
Video examples
3 ways to be a more...
When you think about how to do this work, it's important to remember that money makes the world go round. You hear that all the time, but it's true. Whether you're a nonprofit, for-profit, or you pay your own bills. We often feel like talking about it is this icky, embarrassing, ugly thing, but it's just money.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 138 PIPE...
quiet for not so long look what's happened to me I just want to show you if anybody that does not suffer from grass allergies this is literally my life look at that look at those welts you're amazing they're so cool and they're so icky
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Lucas Hedges
American Actor
My problem with my parents growing up was not that I was afraid to cry in front of them - they always wanted me to cry because they wanted me to be okay, but it felt kind of icky and gross to cry in front of my parents. So my problem was the polar opposite - I didn't want to cry in front of them because I didn't want to give them the satisfaction.
Quote examples
Hank Green
American Celebrity
There have been, in my life, a number of times when I have intentionally made decisions that I knew would mean I would make less money or be less influential. I did this because, for whatever reason, it just wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth the stress, it felt icky, it relied on me exploiting relationships that I valued. Stuff like that.
Quote examples
Tavi Gevinson
American Writer
If I'm extremely bored and I don't have a book with me and I'm being an obnoxious teenager, I'll read 'BuzzFeed' on my phone. But even that just leaves me feeling icky because I think for some reason my comfort zone is to just not really be in the loop about stuff like awards shows or things like that.
Quote examples
Lesley Sharp
English Actress
With adoption, there is a whole range of experiences, and a lot of it goes under the radar. There is too much icky stuff about it - all this stuff about people reunited, a sickly sentimentality about blood lines. For me, at least, life is much more ambiguous than that.
Quote examples
Eve Babitz
American Artist
I knew just by reading this guy, Nathanael West, that he was probably one of those icky East Coast guys with glasses who got mad because when he came to L.A., all those starlets preferred producers or cowboys to him.
Quote examples
Jane Pauley
American Journalist
I have a very good sense of tone, and it's possible to talk about very personal things and maintain a level of dignity and even privacy - to go to the place, to talk about it, but not get icky.
Quote examples
Bennett Miller
American Director
There is a paradox in politics that what it takes to get elected is not necessarily what it takes to govern, and my feeling is that trying to control things too much feels icky to me.
Quote examples
Luke Bryan
American Musician
I want to be comfortable on TV. If I'm comfortable, they're comfortable watching me. I think nothing's more icky than watching icky on TV.
Quote examples
Kathleen Hanna
American Musician
I think as a culture, we don't like conflict or looking at icky stuff - especially in our downtime.
Quote examples
Dan Schneider
I try not to cast icky people.
Quote examples
Lucas Hedges
American Actor
My problem with my parents growing up was not that I was afraid to cry in front of them - they always wanted me to cry because they wanted me to be okay, but it felt kind of icky and gross to cry in front of my parents. So my problem was the polar opposite - I didn't want to cry in front of them because I didn't want to give them the satisfaction.
Quote examples
Hank Green
American Celebrity
There have been, in my life, a number of times when I have intentionally made decisions that I knew would mean I would make less money or be less influential. I did this because, for whatever reason, it just wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth the stress, it felt icky, it relied on me exploiting relationships that I valued. Stuff like that.
Quote examples
Tavi Gevinson
American Writer
If I'm extremely bored and I don't have a book with me and I'm being an obnoxious teenager, I'll read 'BuzzFeed' on my phone. But even that just leaves me feeling icky because I think for some reason my comfort zone is to just not really be in the loop about stuff like awards shows or things like that.
Quote examples
Lesley Sharp
English Actress
With adoption, there is a whole range of experiences, and a lot of it goes under the radar. There is too much icky stuff about it - all this stuff about people reunited, a sickly sentimentality about blood lines. For me, at least, life is much more ambiguous than that.
Quote examples
Eve Babitz
American Artist
I knew just by reading this guy, Nathanael West, that he was probably one of those icky East Coast guys with glasses who got mad because when he came to L.A., all those starlets preferred producers or cowboys to him.
Quote examples
Jane Pauley
American Journalist
I have a very good sense of tone, and it's possible to talk about very personal things and maintain a level of dignity and even privacy - to go to the place, to talk about it, but not get icky.
Quote examples
Bennett Miller
American Director
There is a paradox in politics that what it takes to get elected is not necessarily what it takes to govern, and my feeling is that trying to control things too much feels icky to me.
Quote examples
Luke Bryan
American Musician
I want to be comfortable on TV. If I'm comfortable, they're comfortable watching me. I think nothing's more icky than watching icky on TV.
Quote examples
Kathleen Hanna
American Musician
I think as a culture, we don't like conflict or looking at icky stuff - especially in our downtime.
Quote examples
Dan Schneider
I try not to cast icky people.
Example 1 of 10
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