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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cloying
Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 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
Despite its fame, the wine is measured and clean, not cloying.
—Rachel King, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Verb
This appealingly low-ABV cocktail—sherry typically clocks in at 15 to 20 percent—is perfect for folks who find vermouth to be a bit too cloying.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 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
Despite its fame, the wine is measured and clean, not cloying.
—Rachel King, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloying
Adjective
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Therefore the most sentimental and profound gratitude and lifetime of debt.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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The wedding comes one year after the Sound of Music theater actress announced the couple’s engagement on Instagram alongside a sentimental piano performance dedicated to her husband-to-be at the time.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The tariffs also look to have driven up sticky inflation, with Trump pressuring Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to cut rates, in great part to get the housing market moving again.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
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Soap/Shampoo Residue While soap and shampoo don't create dust themselves, their residue creates the perfect sticky place for dust particles to attach to.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The funding and additional personnel are aimed at alleviating the growing case backlog, which is nearly 4 million cases.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
2 Sep. 2025
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Furthermore, the company continues to benefit from AI demand outstripping supply, alleviating concerns about potential pricing pressures.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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According to Amazon reviews, the material is soft with just the right amount of stretch, while the fit is roomy without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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In that high‑tempo, but sloppy matchup, the Wildcats fell 46‑24, with Mari Adams, a top running back, contributing heavily on the ground and showing flashes of explosive play.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The researchers hypothesized that soft music has a relaxing effect, relieving the tension that makes carsickness worse, and joyful music might serve as distraction, activating the brain's reward systems.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Sep. 2025
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Astley notes that the bed’s pressure-relieving qualities, five ergonomic zones, and layers of soft organic natural latex improved her sleep.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That saccharine silliness juxtaposed with the heady themes of the plot are part of the DNA of the franchise throughout all entries and would follow Kojima to his current work on Death Stranding.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
22 Aug. 2025
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At DurianBB Park in Kuala Lumpur, people taste platters of varieties of the spiky, football-sized fruit – from the saccharine sweet Musang King to the custardy Black Thorn – grown at the company’s farms.—
Amy Gunia,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cloying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloying. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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