1
: having a thick or sticky consistency : viscid
viscous secretions
viscous corn syrup
2
technical
: having or characterized by a high resistance to flow
viscous lava
viscously
adverb
viscousness
noun
Examples of viscous in a Sentence
viscous syrup that takes forever to pour from a narrow-neck bottle
Recent Examples on the Web
With the aid of his brother György, who was a dentist with a background in chemistry, Bíró set out to create a new ballpoint pen design based on viscous ink similar to newsprint.
—
New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Small, viscous waves lapped against the shore, the swell leaving behind a brown shelf of decaying organic matter.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Healthy sap is clear, viscous, and slightly golden in color.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Often the liquid solvent used is propylene glycol — a viscous, colorless liquid with a slightly sweet flavor.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for viscous
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New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Small, viscous waves lapped against the shore, the swell leaving behind a brown shelf of decaying organic matter.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Healthy sap is clear, viscous, and slightly golden in color.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Often the liquid solvent used is propylene glycol — a viscous, colorless liquid with a slightly sweet flavor.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for viscous
Cite this Entry
“Viscous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viscous. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
viscous
adjective
vis·cous
ˈvis-kəs 
1
: having the characteristic of stickiness
2
: having or marked by viscosity
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