sappy

adjective

sap·​py ˈsa-pē How to pronounce sappy (audio)
sappier; sappiest
1
: abounding with sap
2
: resembling or consisting largely of sapwood
3
a
: overly sweet or sentimental
b
: lacking in good sense : silly

Examples of sappy in a Sentence

She gets all sappy when she is around babies. a sappy letter filled with silly romantic clichés
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The beginning of November marks a shift on the platform, when the sappy rom-coms turn from summer fodder to remarkably cozy and festive. Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025 The absence of corruption, scandal, self-dealing and cronyism makes this a revitalizing break from real-world concerns, without in any way veering into sappy idealism. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025 With a pair of catwalks jutting from the oval stage, the guys roam into the crowd, all while hitting their dance moves, and blending their upbeat pop anthems with the sappier ballads that made them into a heartthrob collective. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025 Sure, the film wades into soap opera-esque territory more than once — especially with the predictably sappy ending — but the at-times unusual and always heartfelt family dynamic between Bill, Erica, Samantha, and Rusty still rings true. James Mercadante, EW.com, 10 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sappy

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sappy was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sappy. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

sappy

adjective
sap·​py ˈsap-ē How to pronounce sappy (audio)
sappier; sappiest
1
: full of sap
2
a
: foolishly sentimental
b
sappiness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!