1
as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
corny violin music during the movie's love scenes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hokey
tiresomely obvious and unsophisticated
the audience groaned as the emcee told one corny joke after another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corny
Kate Bosworth is a corny idiot.
—
Ky Henderson, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2026
The film’s eccentric flourishes may sound corny, but the writer-directors Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer ground the premise in a deeply sincere sense of yearning.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
The novel also suggests—mumblingly, without making eye contact, not wanting to be corny about it—that one’s own self becomes a little less hideous the more one attends to other selves.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The novel also suggests—mumblingly, without making eye contact, not wanting to be corny about it—that one’s own self becomes a little less hideous the more one attends to other selves.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for corny
Ky Henderson, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2026
The film’s eccentric flourishes may sound corny, but the writer-directors Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer ground the premise in a deeply sincere sense of yearning.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
The novel also suggests—mumblingly, without making eye contact, not wanting to be corny about it—that one’s own self becomes a little less hideous the more one attends to other selves.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
The novel also suggests—mumblingly, without making eye contact, not wanting to be corny about it—that one’s own self becomes a little less hideous the more one attends to other selves.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for corny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corny
Adjective
-
Welsh has a distinct desire to stay away from sappy and sentimental, too tidy for such a messy story.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In April, don’t miss the rollout of Mother’s Day cards, from funny and quirky to sweet and sentimental.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What ultimately keeps the house from feeling hokey or trite is Glazer’s commitment to her all-encompassing taste.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
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With no internet, their only entertainment comes from booze, ping-pong, rudimentary video games, and VHS tapes of hokey old game shows.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
21 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Ludvig Aberg swapped out some sloppy mistakes at the Masters with pure iron play at Harbour Town in warm, swirling wind that produced an 8-under 63 for a one-shot lead Thursday in the RBC Heritage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Needing a win to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2018, the Ducks lost a sloppy 4-3 overtime decision to the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s worst team, leaving them a point shy of the playoffs with two games to play.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Generations of ski families flocked to his films every fall to get revved up for a new ski season and laugh at his cornball humor.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Davis and Head make strong impressions, masking the pedestrian, sometimes cornball dialogue.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As the smell intensified, Lina crossed to the front door of her apartment, undid the lock, and yanked the sticky door open.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Keep an eye out for popcorn flowers, yarrow, goldfields, mustard and sticky monkey-flowers.—
Alissa Greenberg,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The wood doors with rustic hinges and handles matched the stone base to a tee.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The 282-acre resort blends into its rustic surroundings, with accommodations providing Hill Country views.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Lycra Company has corn-fed stretch.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
On Tuesday, Sasha De Sola, an old pro in the role, danced it with ravishing self-possession, hardly seeming to need the support of her consort Harrison James, who exuded the corn-fed charm of a linebacker while delivering cleanly polished grande pirouettes.—
Rachel Howard,
San Francisco Chronicle,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Corny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corny. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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