flakiness

1 of 2

noun (1)

flak·​i·​ness ˈflā-kē-nəs 

: the quality or state of being composed of flakes or of tending to separate into or peel in flakes

The flour (high or low protein) plays a role in the final tenderness of pastry, but it's the amount and distribution of the fat through the flour that determine the pastry's flakiness.

—Shirley Corriher

flakiness

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: lack of reliability : the tendency to behave or perform undependably

Mobile phones make it all too easy to cancel plans at the last minute, but social flakiness isn't a recipe for health and happiness—or good for our relationships.

—Anna Hart

This free utility takes a look at your hard drives and ferrets out any physical errors it finds, so you know what might be causing random crashes or system flakiness.

—Lisa Hoover

2

: peculiarity or eccentricity in thinking or behavior

Others claim [Millicent] Fenwick's eccentricity borders on flakiness. Once, during a House debate on whether federal election ballots should be bilingual, Fenwick got up and spoke in fluent Spanish—not on the issue, but on the aesthetic merits of a beautiful language.

—Gioia Diliberto

Examples of flakiness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Yes Best For: Geared toward creating a healthy microbiome, the product is designed to remove buildup, promote healthy sebum production, and reduce flakiness on the scalp. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2025

Dryness, tightness, and flakiness seem to creep in overnight, leaving us wondering how to keep our glow through the season. —Tira Urquhart, Essence, 29 Jan. 2025

Each stick is spiked with buildable pigment and ultra-conditioning olive oil to ensure patches of flakiness are down to a minimum. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 25 Jan. 2025

So eventually, unspoken frustrations (socks on the floor, too many nights out, a pattern of flakiness) build into resentment, which can leak out in the form of unproductive, passive-aggressive comments or more explosive, potentially hurtful blowups. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1681, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 2