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cheeky
[ chee-kee ]
adjective
- rude or disrespectful, especially in a playful or witty way; saucy; bold:
With his trademark cheeky glint in his eye, he told me to get lost.
A high dose of cheeky slapstick keeps the narrative rolling along.
- Informal. taken or done for sheer self-indulgent pleasure, usually spontaneously and in defiance of convention or normal restraint:
This dish makes a great small dessert bowl, perfect for a cheeky scoop of ice cream.
While in London for work I went for a cheeky spa break.
- Slang. (of shorts, underwear, etc.) incompletely or scantily covering the buttocks:
My new swimsuit has a retro triangle white top and a teal cheeky bottom.
noun
- Often cheek·ies. Slang. a pair of underpants, shorts, etc., that incompletely or scantily cover the buttocks:
Some feel comfier in a cheeky than in a thong.
I spent Saturday morning lounging in my favorite T-shirt and a pair of cheekies.
cheeky
/ ˈtʃiːkɪ /
adjective
- disrespectful in speech or behaviour; impudent
a cheeky child
Derived Forms
- ˈcheekily, adverb
- ˈcheekiness, noun
Other Words From
- cheek·i·ly adverb
- cheek·i·ness noun
Example Sentences
In a cheeky twist, the film they dismiss is Curtis's own Love Actually.
When chief engineer Brian Fraser urged the crew to cut back on the illuminations, the ship's radio officer wrote him a cheeky reply - in rhyme.
The same year she married a “fair-haired, blue-eyed boy with the cheekiest grin I’d ever seen”.
There was no energy, little celebrity movement, few campaign signs and cheeky bumper stickers.
His platoon commander said his admiration for Fuslilier Wilkes' wit, mischief and cheeky nature, which "made his life difficult", also made him hard to discipline.
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More About Cheeky
What does cheeky mean?
Cheeky means bold, brash, and a bit rude, but also maybe a little playful and amusing.
Cheeky is an adjective that is typically used to describe a person or their actions or comments. It is most commonly used in the U.K., but it is frequently used elsewhere as well.
Example: During her speech, she managed to sneak in a cheeky remark about her previous employer.
Where does cheeky come from?
The first records of cheeky come from the mid-1800s. It is formed by adding the adjective suffix -y to the noun cheek, meaning “brashness” or “impudence.” (Someone who’s cheeky might point out that cheek also means “one side of the buttocks.”)
Cheeky is often defined with stuffy words like insolent, impudent, and impertinent, but it often implies a sense of playfulness. Cheeky people may be brash, but describing them as cheeky often means we enjoy their irreverence or mischievousness because it’s funny, silly, or clever. If you describe a comment as cheeky, you probably mean that it’s a little impolite, but you probably don’t think it’s blatantly offensive or overly rude. Cheeky can have many different shades of meaning, especially in the U.K., where it’s most commonly used, and some of them aren’t associated with rudeness. For example, in sports like soccer (football), a cheeky pass is one that’s bold and clever, and probably unconventional in some way.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to cheeky?
- cheekier (comparative adjective)
- cheekiest (superlative adjective)
- cheek (noun)
- cheekiness (noun)
- cheekily (adverb)
What are some synonyms for cheeky?
What are some words that often get used in discussing cheeky?
How is cheeky used in real life?
Cheeky is most often used in descriptions of comments or actions that are a bit irreverent but are still lighthearted.
Corbyn making a few cheeky comments about party donations during his speech: "I don’t have to play tennis with an oligarch to keep our party organisation running."
— Shehab Khan (@ShehabKhan) September 26, 2018
I know the #RoyalWedding is not for everyone, but we all saw Harry lose his Mum so young, then grow up into this kind, cheeky, thoughtful guy. Now he’s found this incredible woman, and it brings a tear to my cynical eye. Have a great day everyone (also, enjoy the cup final).
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) May 19, 2018
I heard a couple arguing outside my window so I opened it to have a cheeky look but they saw me and I banged my head on the frame in shock 💀
— Phil Lester (@AmazingPhil) February 19, 2017
Try using cheeky!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym for cheeky?
A. brazen
B. fearful
C. bold
D. brash
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