Silky
What it means
Exceptionally smooth, soft, and flowing in texture or movement.
Reach for it when praising a tactile, visual, vocal, or culinary quality reminiscent of silk
Slow blending gave the bean soup a silky texture.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm |
|
| professional | |
| literary |
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everyday
creamy
Fits when food has a rich, uniform consistency
Careful A silky sauce can be light and contain no creaminess.
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everyday
Fits when evenness and low friction are the plain qualities
Careful Smooth need not include the softness or flowing richness of silky.
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warm
Fits when plush softness or a rich mouthfeel is central
Careful Velvety is denser and less fluid than silky.
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professional
Fits when polished visual smoothness and efficient form matter
Careful Sleek can feel hard or cool rather than soft.
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literary
satiny
Fits when a glossy, close-woven surface is the comparison
Careful Satin has more sheen and less flowing softness than silk.
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literary
silken
Fits when literal silk or delicate poetic comparison is intended
Careful Silken is more elevated and may suggest the material itself.
Opposites 3
- rough
- coarse
- gritty
Common phrases 3
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silky texture
The custard developed a silky texture over gentle heat.
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silky smooth
The polished wood felt silky smooth beneath the cloth.
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silky hair
The conditioner left the wool fibers as soft as silky hair.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vininn126, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated