as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cloying
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
In its all-too-human view of life, this is, entertainingly, whatever the opposite of a cloying graduation speech is.
—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Plus, the jojoba oil gives it a light, inoffensive smell that’s heavenly to inhale compared to the strong, cloying scents of other men’s products.
—
Irene Richardson,
InStyle,
21 Jan. 2026
Money woes will slowly leave you, as will that cloying streak of bad luck.
—
Snehaa Khanna Sahgal,
Vogue,
26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Adjective
But Kore-eda is more interested in a smiley-happy outcome of mutual accord, which is pushed into sentimental overdrive by increasingly cloying slatherings of Bandoh’s score.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
In its all-too-human view of life, this is, entertainingly, whatever the opposite of a cloying graduation speech is.
—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Plus, the jojoba oil gives it a light, inoffensive smell that’s heavenly to inhale compared to the strong, cloying scents of other men’s products.
—
Irene Richardson,
InStyle,
21 Jan. 2026
Money woes will slowly leave you, as will that cloying streak of bad luck.
—
Snehaa Khanna Sahgal,
Vogue,
26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloying
Adjective
-
Throughout the night, sentimental videos from different chapters of Jackson's career played on the screens by the stage, along with messages from stars not in attendance like country singers Keith Urban, Zac Brown and Kenny Chesney as well as NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
-
The series combines potty-mouthed put-downs with more sentimental story lines.
Verb
-
However, strawberries are also susceptible to root rot, so make sure to avoid over-saturating the soil.
-
Use only as much cleaning solution as necessary, and avoid saturating the area.
Adjective
-
The shiny, non-sticky formula is infused with a hyaluronic acid complex, mango seed butter, and fruit extracts to keep lips feeling comfortable.
-
Use yellow sticky traps to monitor.
Verb
-
The owner and lessee will bear the responsibility of clearing the debris and alleviating some of the effects of the fire and its aftermath, Moore said, including looking for ways to mitigate debris flowing out of the warehouse, and the smell emitted by the rotting food.
-
So, resources like financial planning, credit building and debt management assistance can potentially unlock additional productivity by alleviating employee financial stress.
Adjective
-
Winning like a Feeney Due to some sloppy defensive errors from the silver-haired infield, the Feeneys allowed more runs in the top of the seventh.
-
The Walpole, Massachusetts native, making his second career start at Fenway Park in front of family and friends, surrendered a two-run, go-ahead homer to ex-Yankees prospect Caleb Durbin in the fifth inning of what was a sloppy, 6-3, loss for the Bombers.
Verb
-
Healthcare economists say giving people access to preventive healthcare saves taxpayers money in the long run by keeping the workforce healthy and relieving pressure on an overburdened system.
-
According to a statement by BMW, the task required high precision, speed, and consistency while relieving workers of physically demanding operations.
Adjective
-
Overdo it, and your recipe becomes too saccharine.
-
With a minimal, yet still impactful, pastel floral design, the rug hedges its saccharine design with ample negative space.
Cite this Entry
“Cloying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloying. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
