cutesy

play

adjective cute·sy \ ˈkyüt-sē \

Definition of cutesy

cutesier; cutesiest

:self-consciously or excessively cute

—

cutesiness

noun

See cutesy defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of cutesy from the Web

The truth was the audience didn’t need such winking, cutesy, tentative stabs at connecting with the wider world.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "The MTV VMAs Tackle Charlottesville and Suicide," 28 Aug. 2017
With postcard-perfect beaches, an array of restaurants serving up fresh seafood, and a handful of cutesy boutiques, spending LDW in ACK is pretty much a no-brainer.

— lindsay silberman, Town & Country, "Easy (and Last Minute!) Labor Day Getaway Ideas," 22 Aug. 2017
The model chose to wear a high-shine orange pair with her band T-shirt—an unexpected combination that toed the line between cutesy and cool.

— maria ward, Vogue, "Lily Rose-Depp Takes Kitten Heels for a Test-Drive With Cutoffs—and Wins," 18 Aug. 2017
The action begins in child's-storybook mode, with an immortal empress (Liu Yifei) frolicking in bucolic settings accompanied by a cutesy sidekick who looks like Baby Groot reborn as a Brussels sprout.

— john defore, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Once Upon a Time': Film Review," 11 Aug. 2017
And remember to stay far away from cutesy animals and other novelty prints.

— liza corsillo, GQ, "The Best Men's Loafers to Wear to Your Next Summer Wedding," 19 July 2017
And now, that nightmare is being spun into a cutesy teaser for TV ratings.

— michelle ruiz, Vogue, "In a New Trailer, Bachelor in Paradise Attempts to Use a Sexual Assault Controversy to Its Advantage," 18 July 2017
After all, the pop group’s four members are 14- to 16-year-old girls who sport ponytails and cutesy frilly dresses and pump out bubblegum tunes accompanied by wobbly dancing.

— The Economist, "BanyanNo one is well-served by sexism in Japan," 13 July 2017
But despite the popularity, the ritual is a lot like a rousing game of Pin-The-Umbilical-Cord-On-The-Newborn: cutesy in theory, taxing in practice.

— diane stopyra, Marie Claire, "Dear Parents-to-Be: Stop Celebrating Your Baby's Gender," 5 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of cutesy

cute + -sy (as in folksy)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1914

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CUTESY Defined for English Language Learners

cutesy

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adjective

Definition of cutesy for English Language Learners

: trying very hard or too hard to be appealing : too cute in an annoying way

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cutesy

Definition of cutesy

cutesiness

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Origin and Etymology of cutesy

CUTESY Defined for English Language Learners

cutesy

Definition of cutesy for English Language Learners

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cutesiness

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