variants or less commonly flakey
flakier; flakiest
Synonyms of flakynext
1
: consisting of flakes
flaky snow
2
: tending to flake
a flaky crust

flaky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

flakier; flakiest
1
: markedly odd or unconventional : offbeat, wacky
has some flaky ideas
He's nice, but a bit flaky.
2
informal : not reliable in performance or behavior : undependable
a flaky mechanism
You'll want to make sure that all the technology tools you need to effectively and efficiently serve clients are in full working order and that you won't need to worry about wasting time and money fixing broken hardware or flaky software.—Henry B. Chace
… digital crutches trump face-to-face talking (even phone calls), encouraging people to be flaky and evasive …—Charlotte Liberman

Examples of flaky in a Sentence

Adjective (1) a tender but flaky crust on the pastry
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Certain oils can soften dry, flaky skin and help reduce moisture loss, which may be especially helpful if your scalp feels tight or dry after shampooing. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 People with plaque psoriasis fight a constant battle with painful, flaky patches that can appear on some of the most visible parts of the skin. — Alice Park, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Eggs are securely attached to hair and not flaky like dandruff. — Emily J. C. Wong, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 Fresh sage and flaky sea salt give each breadstick a savory finish. — Hali Bey Ramdene, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flaky

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

see flake entry 1

Adjective (2)

flake entry 4

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

circa 1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flaky was in 1580

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaky. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

flaky

adjective
ˈflā-kē
flakier; flakiest
1
: consisting of flakes
2
: tending to flake
pie with a crisp flaky crust
3
: odd or strange in behavior
4
informal : not reliable : undependable
flakily
-kə-lē
adverb
flakiness
-kē-nəs
noun
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