What does tacky mean?
Tacky is an adjective describing something that is cheap, poorly made, gaudy, or otherwise considered tasteless. The word is often applied to clothing and décor, as in “a tacky outfit” or “tacky colors,” but it can also describe crude jokes, vulgar behavior, or sales tactics. Its tone is informal and distinctly disapproving: calling something tacky suggests not merely that it is inexpensive or colorful, but that its style is conspicuously bad or socially inappropriate. Tacky can occasionally suggest something so exaggerated that it seems deliberately tasteless. In standard modern use, the adjective is far more common than the verb, which means to attach something with tacks.
Cheap, shabby, gaudy, or vulgar; regarded as being in poor taste.
"The gift wrapping was tacky, with excessively shiny ribbons and bright paper."
Informal and strongly disapproving.
To attach or fasten something with tacks.
"They tackied the sign to the wall."
Less common than the adjective and often used in practical or informal contexts.
Tacky is an old-fashioned word for something so tasteless that it announces itself before anyone notices the quality that made it tacky in the first place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tacky come from?
The adjective tacky emerged in the nineteenth century with meanings associated with being cheap, shabby, or in poor taste. Its precise origin is uncertain, though it may be related to tack, a small nail or fastening, and to the older sense of something tacked on being visibly makeshift. The verb tacky, meaning to fasten with tacks, is also attested and preserves a more literal connection with fastening objects.
Related word forms
How tacky is actually used
Usually informal and strongly negative. It is commonly used for clothing, décor, colors, behavior, jokes, and promotional material perceived as cheap, vulgar, or poorly judged.