Meaning & use

flaky

adjective·Everyday

Breaking easily into thin, crisp pieces, especially when baked.

See it in a sentence

The croissant had a flaky, buttery crust that crumbled with every bite.

He gained a reputation for being flaky after missing three meetings in a row.

A note on using this word

"Flakey" is an accepted variant spelling, but "flaky" is far more common in edited writing.

Words with a similar meaning

crumbly

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. adjective

Informal: unreliable, unpredictable, or inclined to cancel plans without warning.

He's too flaky to count on for a ride to the airport.

Make it your own

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