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
Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 July 2025
Why Guava Is Summer 2025's Breakout Flavor Guava might not be as familiar as strawberry or raspberry jam, but its flavor is instantly crave-worthy—slightly floral and naturally sweet without being cloying.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2025
The alluring scent of chocolate, glorious chocolate, wafts toward you, sweet but not cloying, heady and intoxicating.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025
Despite its fame, the wine is measured and clean, not cloying.
—Rachel King, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Verb
This appealingly low-ABV cocktail—sherry typically clocks in at 15 to 20 percent—is perfect for folks who find vermouth to be a bit too cloying.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 July 2025
Why Guava Is Summer 2025's Breakout Flavor Guava might not be as familiar as strawberry or raspberry jam, but its flavor is instantly crave-worthy—slightly floral and naturally sweet without being cloying.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2025
The alluring scent of chocolate, glorious chocolate, wafts toward you, sweet but not cloying, heady and intoxicating.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025
Despite its fame, the wine is measured and clean, not cloying.
—Rachel King, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloying
Adjective
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Paula also shared another angle of the cast singalong to her 1997 single, a particularly sentimental moment for the handful of fans who got to take in the one-night-only charity event.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
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Art that truly centres girlhood, meanwhile, had too often been dismissed as sentimental or lacking intellectual rigor.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In pastel satin, the shoe softened the architecture while saturating the butter tone that has been trending on red carpets all month.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
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English advises saturating natural hair mats with Designme’s leave-in treatment, then applying their rich hydrating mask before detangling (first pass with your fingers, then with a wide-tooth comb) from the ends to the roots.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Qau will feature a cocktail program as well as seasonal and pantry products like mooncakes, Tết sticky rice cakes, saté paste, kaya jam and dessert kits.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
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The sticky, toxic by-product of renewable energy production has haunted the industry for decades, causing headaches for engineers and researchers alike.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In Johansson’s case, her leather coat stands in contrast to her satin pants, alleviating some of the tension between the two competing shades.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
24 Sep. 2025
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The funding and additional personnel are aimed at alleviating the growing case backlog, which stands at nearly 4 million.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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An overstuffed tracklist and slightly sloppy sequencing prevent the record from fully realizing its potential, but over the course of an hour-plus, Cardi sufficiently reminds us why the crown was hers to return for in the first place.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
25 Sep. 2025
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Demonstrate the discipline necessary to eliminate sloppy turnovers and other careless plays, like the penalties.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The packable device loops over your seatback tray table, instantly elevating your legs, relieving pressure from your hips, and creating a more relaxed and comfortable long-haul flight experience.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Sep. 2025
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Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket has flown successfully three times, relieving some of the need for European governments to look to the United States for SpaceX rockets to launch their military satellites.—
Benj Edwards,
ArsTechnica,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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If anything, Blaine’s saccharine monologue that precedes the kiss kind of serves as cosmic justice for Kurt, who really gets the short end of the stick in season two, to say the least.—
James Factora,
Them.,
26 Sep. 2025
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The saccharine jazz pop standout calls to mind the glamour of Diana Ross.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cloying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloying. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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