as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cloying
EW.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Hainan chicken rice is maybe my favorite chicken dish — nourishing but not heavy, comforting but not cloying.
—Mia Leimkuhler, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
The butter helps cut through the cloying sweetness of the syrup without masking the maple flavor.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2025
As May, Chen is cloying and enthusiastic and undeniably glamorous.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Adjective
Warren comes off as shrill and cloying when compared with Julie Andrews' perfect voice and unaffected sweetness, and the high-school-grade set design and categorically ugly costumes are that much more dismal when compared to the vivid production of the 1997 fairy tale.
—EW.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Hainan chicken rice is maybe my favorite chicken dish — nourishing but not heavy, comforting but not cloying.
—Mia Leimkuhler, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
The butter helps cut through the cloying sweetness of the syrup without masking the maple flavor.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2025
As May, Chen is cloying and enthusiastic and undeniably glamorous.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloying
Adjective
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Reynolds also recommends taking photos of sentimental but impractical items and collecting them in a photo book or digital slideshow.—
Allie Volpe,
Vox,
26 Mar. 2025
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Model Alessandra Ambrosio opens up about how her daughter, Anja, 16, plays a small but sentimental part in her current rituals.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Aphids excrete the sap as honeydew, leaving leaves sticky and susceptible to sooty mold.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2025
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Pitchers were becoming too dominant with the sticky stuff.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Research — a survey of 109 CEOs of major Canadian organizations, complemented by in-depth qualitative interviews with 46 of them — suggests six strategies for alleviating loneliness that leaders can employ.—
Alaric Bourgoin,
Sarah L. Wright,
Jean-François Harvey,
Saouré Kouamé,
Harvard Business Review,
23 Dec. 2024
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Much of this latest round of donations went to organizations focused on alleviating poverty, Scott wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Read's lawyers pointed repeatedly to sloppy policing, including leaving the scene unsecured for hours and not searching the house.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2025
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The Canucks managed to win despite an off night for Quinn Hughes and some sloppy defensive coverage in the neutral zone throughout the evening, but especially in the first period.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Archway Homes will buy the home and make the repairs needed, relieving the sellers of the hassle and expense.—
Archway Homes,
Kansas City Star,
5 Jan. 2025
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Xylitol may have other health benefits, including preventing ear and sinus infections, increasing bone density, and relieving constipation.—
Adrienne Dellwo,
Verywell Health,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The fragrance opens with a playful dance of marshmallow sweetness, brightened by unexpected touches of lemon and peach skin that keep it from being too saccharine.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
17 Jan. 2025
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Comments For folks with a sweet tooth for saccharine love stories, Nicholas Sparks movie adaptations hit the spot — most of the time.—
Sezin Devi Koehler,
EW.com,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cloying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloying. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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