Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
✏️ Quick movements 💡 Flashing on and off 🤔 Unpredictable
flicky

flicky

8.6
Turning on and off quickly, like a weak light or screen
  • adjective
  • /ˈflɪki/
translation icon : parpadeante
  • The television screen became flicky during the thunderstorm, making it hard to watch the movie.

Examples

  • She replaced the flicky lamp in her bedroom because it kept turning on and off by itself.

  • The old computer monitor was annoyingly flicky, so he decided to buy a new one.

  • The streetlights were flicky last night.

  • My phone screen is flicky and hard to read.

  • The light bulb was so flicky that it made reading impossible in the dim room.

  • Her laptop screen appeared flicky, with images blinking on and off at random intervals.

  • During the power outage, the flicky lights became increasingly distracting as they switched on and off.

Synonyms

blinky
vsflicky
2 6.7

Flashing on and off in a way that draws attention

describes unsteady light that turns on and off rather than clearly distracting flashes
stroboscopic
vsflicky
  • Specialized
1 8.8

Light that flashes quickly in short bursts

refers to repeated on and off that is less technical and not necessarily rapid
flickering
vsflicky
3.5

Giving light that goes on and off quickly, like a candle flame

tends to switch on and off repeatedly rather than only wavering
aflicker
vsflicky
  • Archaic
9.9

Shining with a light that goes on and off

is about turning on and off repeatedly rather than a steady glow
flickery
vsflicky
6.0

Light or image that changes quickly and is not steady

focuses on repeated switching on and off rather than rapid motion
twinkling
vsflicky
3.3

Shining with small bright flashes of light

is more about electronic on and off behavior rather than gentle sparkle

Antonyms

constant
360 2.7

Stays the same over time

steady
304 2.0

Not changing over time and remaining the same

How Unstable

flaky
  • Informal
6 7.0
flicky
8.6
intermittent
35 6.5
stable
473 2.3

Surface Forms

flicky positive

Morphology

flicky = flicker (transparent) = flick + y

The adjective is readily interpreted as 'tending to flicker' (flicker + -y), which is straightforward for learners familiar with 'flicker'.

Etymology

Flicky is related to flicker and flick, words that mean 'to shine unsteadily' or 'turn on and off', so flicky describes lights or screens that flash or switch repeatedly.