adjective
flaky
FLAY-kee
adjective
1
Made up of thin, loose layers that easily break apart.
"The pastry had a wonderfully flaky crust."
2
Unreliable, especially about keeping plans or commitments.
"He's a great cook but notoriously flaky about showing up on time."
3
Working only inconsistently, especially describing a device, connection, or system.
"The office Wi-Fi has been flaky all week."
How to Use Flaky
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither literally crumbly/layered, or (informally) unreliable — a person who cancels plans, or a system that misbehaves intermittently.
Common pairings
flaky pastry
flaky connection
a flaky friend
Word Forms
flakier comparative, flakiest superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “flaky”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The pastry had a wonderfully _____ crust.