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
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
Speaking of on-the-nose metaphors, this show is one of the best around at queuing up songs on the soundtracks that are so very literal to what’s happening in the scene without being cloying about it.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 16 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
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Verb
The sole respite from the cloying ooze was the strawberries, which tasted wholesome by comparison.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
Speaking of on-the-nose metaphors, this show is one of the best around at queuing up songs on the soundtracks that are so very literal to what’s happening in the scene without being cloying about it.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 16 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
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloying
Adjective
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Additionally, the New Moon squares Jupiter in Cancer, expanding our sentimental and passionate horizons.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
20 Oct. 2025
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As Crane hints, Brooke’s take on the eighteenth-century sentimental romance would be a controversial selection as Canada’s first.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the final step, Rag & Bone overdyes the garments, saturating pieces to add depths of tone and contrast.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Oct. 2025
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Set the pot in a shallow pool of water so the soil will absorb water over a few hours, saturating the potting media.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Cabana’s greasy floor was sticky under her bare feet.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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The fruit flies are attracted to them and get stuck on the sticky glue.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Prune juice is a common home remedy for alleviating constipation.—
Cynthia Sass,
Health,
22 Oct. 2025
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Research shows that people who acknowledge or apologize for rejection risk activating the rejectee’s ire, rather than alleviating hurt feelings.—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Chelsea occasionally bypassed the press with Gusto, a right-back playing in midfield, and captain Reece James interchanging positions, but were not helped by sloppy moments.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Or that fixing problems like their sloppy first-quarter defense and stagnant run game — at least for one week — gives reason to believe their floor and ceiling will rise higher as the season progresses.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps a dog barks too much, a cat roams through the yard, or pets are relieving themselves in unwanted areas.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
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After, guests sip nonalcoholic stress-relieving tonics together, with ingredients like ashwagandha, at the adjacent bar.—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But the duo eventually decided to move back to Shanghai to realize their creative vision — building a fantasy of a strong female character with a penchant for saccharine dresses.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
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The sweetness was subtle, not saccharine.—
Aisha Muharrar,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cloying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloying. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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