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corny

adjective

ˈkȯr-nē How to pronounce corny (audio)
Definition of cornynext
1
as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way corny violin music during the movie's love scenes

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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

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.
Recent Examples of corny Yamal is most likely your favorite player’s favorite player to watch, to steal a somewhat corny adage. — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026 Where the most hopelessly corny sayings are painstakingly stitched into the equivalent of cloth graph paper by women who believe in the sayings and give the plaques to people who do not believe in the sayings. — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 Even the weddings that work overtime to prevent a kind of corniness from slipping in wind up being twice as corny in their own way. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 26 June 2026 Own the fact that this song is epically corny and sounds like ChatGPT vomited into a microphone. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for corny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corny
  1. sentimental
  2. hokey
  3. sloppy
  4. cornball
  5. sticky
  6. rustic
  7. corn-fed
Adjective
  • Call me sentimental, but an epiphany at a table can linger for a long time.
    — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Over the 28 years since its release, the original Practical Magic, despite its dismal reviews and middling box-office reception, has accrued a sentimental affection from fans.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of sentimental
Adjective
  • The idea might seem clever, as if the artist has cannily illustrated how the lovey-dovey notion of romance and family is hokey, brain-dead, false.
    — Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Its central plot remains conventional, and its demonology — including a hokey expansion involving the mysterious Cult of the Wise Men — routinely functions more as a set piece than as a serious mystery.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026
Definition of hokey
Adjective
  • After the game on Sunday, Harbaugh called the performance sloppy.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Sunday’s season-opening debacle — a sloppy, uninspired and uninspiring 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium — was a first, giant step back for these Chargers.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • His punchy, slightly cornball charm, combined with a winning smile that neatly masked his Nixonian ambition, cemented Mulroney’s status as a modern Canadian politician, someone willing to lead the nation through the 1980s into an uncertain future.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of cornball
Adjective
  • Raspberry jam oozed from between the layers like sticky blood.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • And with inflation sticky, many expect the central bank to issue its first interest rate hike since 2023.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • Another room over, regulars sat clustered around a long bench under a wall-sized sunset mural, while sports fan pennants decorate the rustic interior.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
  • And the vindaloo sauce, ruddy and rustic, slowly unfolds with intellectual complexity before delivering a primal punch.
    — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of rustic
Adjective
  • Growing up in Brookville, OH, my family would call this kid corn-fed.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
  • The Lycra Company has corn-fed stretch.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of corn-fed

Browse Nearby Words

cornucopias
corny
corollaries
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Cite this Entry

“Corny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corny. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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