as in sickening
overly or insincerely flattering
a gushy review of a novel by an author who just happened to be a friend of the critic
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gushy
To that end, yes, honeymoon phases are gushy (and self-absorbed).
—
Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 19 June 2024
Anything to keep those gushy feelings on repeat in your body!
—Carina Hsieh, SELF, 30 Jan. 2024
The movie falters here and there, lapsing into sentimentality—with accompanying gushy music—during a wedding scene, and that in-person confrontation between Monk and Sintara happens only because Jefferson has overcomplicated the story’s plot.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 Dec. 2023
Her breezy, gushy style could give the sadness of her lyrics a sneaky potency.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for gushy
Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 19 June 2024
Anything to keep those gushy feelings on repeat in your body!
—Carina Hsieh, SELF, 30 Jan. 2024
The movie falters here and there, lapsing into sentimentality—with accompanying gushy music—during a wedding scene, and that in-person confrontation between Monk and Sintara happens only because Jefferson has overcomplicated the story’s plot.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 Dec. 2023
Her breezy, gushy style could give the sadness of her lyrics a sneaky potency.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
See All Example Sentences for gushy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gushy
Adjective
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One newspaper here calling the summit, sickening, shameful, and, in the end, useless.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Aug. 2025
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The practice is one of a sickening array of battlefield mistreatments recorded on video either by Ukrainian surveillance drones or Russian servicemen and then circulated on social media.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
The device’s design is well-suited for microgravity, preventing issues like pooling liquids and soapy wastewater.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
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Soak in hot, soapy water for 15 minutes.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The lightweight moisturizer with SPF 50 protection leaves a gorgeous glow and no white cast on my combination, oily skin.—
Sarah Y. Wu,
Glamour,
3 Sep. 2025
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The researchers also noted a significant reduction in sebum— an oily substance that contributes to acne—of more than 40 percent by day seven.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Eschewing the polished, hagiographic style of many contemporary making-of documentaries, Figgis keeps his footprint small and his perspective immediate.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
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Years of hagiographic media coverage and his immense social-media reach birthed legions of fanboys and nurtured a cult of personality.—
Franklin Foer,
The Atlantic,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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In its equilibrium, a good tomato sandwich is juicy and unctuous and appropriately messy, which is praise all-too-often reserved for hot sandwiches like cheesesteaks or patty melts.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
18 July 2025
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Martin studied under and is basically a Temu Alan Grant, while the unctuous Friend oozes with corporate evil.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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One defense, beginning in the late eighteen-hundreds, was flypaper, sheets of which were coated on one side with an oleaginous substance that lured flies, then permanently trapped them.—
David Owen,
The New Yorker,
27 July 2024
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Ted Cruz, the perennial front-runner, is smug and oleaginous—hated equally by his colleagues and the public.—
Alex Shephard,
The New Republic,
26 Sep. 2022
Adjective
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And there usually has to be a demonstrative, substantial change in Barry Morphew's circumstances for the judge to reconsider that initial ruling.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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It was crafted for robust and fulsome flavor from start to finish.—
Gege Reed,
The Courier-Journal,
2 Aug. 2025
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Sadly, its five-year academic record is weak but can be turned around under stronger leadership that leverages the benefits of modern infrastructure and fulsome resources.—
Forrest Claypool,
Chicago Tribune,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gushy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gushy. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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