leaky

American  

[lee-kee] / ˈli ki /

adjective

leakier, leakiest

1. allowing liquid, gas, etc., to enter or escape.

   a leaky boat; a leaky container.

2. Informal. unreliable.

   a leaky memory; a leaky tongue.

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leaky British  

/ ˈliːkɪ /

adjective

1. leaking or tending to leak

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Other Word Forms

• leakiness noun
• unleaky adjective

Etymology

Origin of leaky

First recorded in 1600–10; leak + -y ¹

Explanation

Leaky things accidentally allow water (or gas) to pass through them. A leaky bucket is a bad thing, and a leaky diaper is even worse. A leaky hose lets water squirt out at different points, and a leaky helium balloon plummets to the ground, deflating as it falls. You can also talk about a leaky government, or a leaky newsroom — in other words, a group or a person guilty of exposing information that's meant to be kept secret or confidential. This kind of leak is a "deliberate disclosure of information," and it dates from the 1950s.

Example Sentences

The public infrastructure report listed $150 million for “wet” infrastructure repairs, which included replacing aging and leaky water main pipelines.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

In June 2024, the Enterprises and their partners filed a $600 million lawsuit, accusing Shvo of shoddy construction that left the club “dimly lit and aesthetically unappealing”— and burdened by leaky showers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026

The publisher's lawyers have also suggested that the claimants' were surrounded by a "leaky" circle of friends that passed on information to the media.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

What if an injectable protein could one day help repair both "leaky gut" and severe depression?

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

“You’re a good girl, Rosemary,” I say, taking the tissue and staunching my leaky nose.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Related Words

• broken
• cracked
• faulty