kitsch 1 of 2

Definition of kitschnext
as in cheese
something that is of low quality but that many people find amusing and enjoyable The restaurant is decorated with 1950s furniture and kitsch from old TV shows.

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kitsch

2 of 2

adjective

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 kitsch
Noun
Bask in the retro-kitsch glory of the Mother Road on a getaway along the Illinois stretch, with stops in Pontiac for the Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum and a photo op in Collinsville with the World's Largest Catsup Bottle. Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 25 Jan. 2026 The potential design traps in a place like Hawaii are often hard to avoid–the bright hibiscus prints, the surf photos; decor can approach kitsch in the blink of an eye. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026 Historic Route 66 General Store Seligman is the place to get your Route 66 kitsch on. Daria Bachmann, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026 The Italian experimental duo creates a sprawling, overstimulating work that celebrates the kitsch lurking behind a wide array of musical forms. H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kitsch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kitsch
Noun
  • Garnish your creamy bowl with bacon bits, green onions, and grated cheese.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Consumers should also wash items and surfaces that have come in contact with the raw cheeses using hot soapy water, the CDC says.
    Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Other images similarly mix the romantic and the mundane, with glamorous students in front of kitschy backdrops of misty woodlands or positioned between towering candelabras.
    Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
  • In the 140 years since his capture, the Apache leader has been transformed into a kitschy, all-American icon, his weary visage appearing on cheap Etsy merch bearing slogans such as Never Quit.
    Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Some of the mandatory junk fees could total $1,700 a year per renter, alleged the suit, and prospective tenants also paid non-refundable reservation and application fees ranging from $55 up to $500.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Oracle's 5-year credit default swaps widened as bond investors were skeptical of the enterprise software company's ability to hold on to its investment-grade credit rating, currently two notches above junk.
    Seema Mody, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • This can be thrown over any outfit or paired with full outdoor gear, depending on your plans, and avoids looking too garish or sporty.
    Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Despite nods to the Disney brand, the interiors are far from garish, with elegant fittings and subtle artwork throughout the ship.
    Helen Wright, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The study confirmed direct dumping by boats, with evidence of bags full of rubbish thrown overboard.
    Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Researchers found evidence of bags full of rubbish being thrown overboard, identifiable by pile-up patterns on the seabed.
    Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Jessica Chastain, ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ (2022) Even with a makeup job and wardrobe that grow gaudier through the biopic, Chastain does a heavenly job playing real-life televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Looking into his dozen-year legacy in Tampa Bay, gaudy statistics and specifically his scoring knack can’t be understated.
    Cam Inman, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • And plenty of humans would appreciate a better understanding of how to convince trash pandas a puzzle isn’t worth investigating any more.
    Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Just ridiculous signing all of these retreads off the trash heap.
    Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Shane, whose run in All Out at the Nederlander Theater ends March 8, took some time to show Condé Nast Traveler some of his favorite Manhattan haunts—from a five-star hotel to a tawdry nightclub to the first brow aesthetician that put him at ease.
    Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Recovery has scarcely begun, but insult is being added to fire victims’ injuries as local officials — especially Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass — engage in a tawdry game of finger-pointing.
    Dan Walters, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Kitsch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kitsch. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.

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