cloy

verb \ ˈklȯi \

Definition of cloy

transitive verb

:to surfeit with an excess usually of something originally pleasing

intransitive verb

:to cause surfeit

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Recent Examples of cloy from the Web

Holland calibrates this really well, turning in an endlessly likable performance that never cloys or grows sticky with precociousness.

— richard lawson, HWD, "Spider-Man: Homecoming Somehow Makes Us Want More Spider-Man Movies," 29 June 2017
What wasn’t cloying in that finale on Sunday was the music — the orchestra swirling and shining, the chorus rich and full-bodied.

— zachary woolfe, New York Times, "Review: Opera Lovers, Make a Pilgrimage to Munich for ‘Tannhäuser’," 23 May 2017
Whatever the outcome of Trump’s decision, his dilemma is just another example of him cloyed in the sticky reality of governing.

— isobel thompson, The Hive, "Trump Is Considering a Massive Troop Surge in Afghanistan," 9 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cloy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cloy

Middle English, to hinder, lame, alteration of acloyen to harm, maim, modification of Anglo-French encloer to nail, prick a horse with a nail in shoeing, from Medieval Latin inclavare, from Latin in + clavus nail

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First Known Use: 1528

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Synonym Discussion of cloy

satiate, sate, surfeit, cloy, pall, glut, gorge mean to fill to repletion. satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire.

- years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel
- readers were sated with sensationalistic stories

surfeit implies a nauseating repletion.

- surfeited themselves with junk food

cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting.

- sentimental pictures that cloy after a while

pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite.

- a life of leisure eventually begins to pall

glut implies excess in feeding or supplying.

- a market glutted with diet books

gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking.

- gorged themselves with chocolate

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cloy

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