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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kitsch
Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
Part restaurant, part gift shop, and all kitsch, the Big Texan Steak Ranch opened on Route 66 in 1960.
—Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
Nothing takes care of weeds and yard kitsch like the threat of execution.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Behind all the kitsch, a certain mythos endures.
—Jeremy Collins, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kitsch
Noun
Nostalgic or Retro Motifs At its core, kitsch draws on mid-20th-century vintage and retro aesthetics.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
Part restaurant, part gift shop, and all kitsch, the Big Texan Steak Ranch opened on Route 66 in 1960.
—Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
Nothing takes care of weeds and yard kitsch like the threat of execution.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
Behind all the kitsch, a certain mythos endures.
—Jeremy Collins, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kitsch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kitsch
Noun
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Remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit to allow cheese to melt, 5–10 minutes.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Pair it with chocolate desserts or even a stinky cheese like Camembert.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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One of Rancho de los Caballeros’s greatest strengths is its authenticity; the property manages to come across as genuine rather than kitschy.—
Asonta Benetti,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
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Wild and kitschy shows followed with opening fetes dedicated to colorful subjects including Andy Warhol, circus clowns, and Canadian television creators and puppeteers Sid and Marty Krofft.—
Lina Lecaro,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Most of that toxic junk was never found, Fernando added.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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There’s so much junk in Eggleston’s pictures.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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It was known that her mother sewed her sequin-heavy competition dresses, and the outfits were viewed as garish, especially when compared to Kerrigan’s understated ensembles—designed by Vera Wang, no less.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
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There’s also a kind of garish showiness that the Academy isn’t immune to.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Piles of human scraps offer a bottomless buffet to wildlife, and to access that bounty, animals need to be bold enough to rummage through human rubbish but not so bold as to become a threat to people.—
Marina Wang,
Scientific American,
14 Nov. 2025
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Helga once wrestled down a drunk fisherman in the Café, a man of above-average size, and then threw him out like a piece of rubbish; Jens thus transfers most of his weight automatically to her; who is this kid, by the way?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The numbers haven't been as gaudy in the playoffs, but Maye has been a difference-maker with timely plays, including a 6-yard touchdown run and a 28-yard scramble that led to a field goal against the Broncos.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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As baseball has evolved starting pitchers have seen their usage rate drop, meaning nobody is ever going to post the gaudy totals seen throughout the 20th century.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That includes chores such as picking up trash, vacuuming, or stirring a pot of food, though the robot has also been seen jogging and dancing.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
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Fruit flies will still find rotten food thrown in the trash and drink cans that still contain liquid, so keep a lid on the bins for extra protection.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Jones envisioned the show as more light-hearted than those of her competitors, weaving comedy skits and bawdy humor in with the tawdry affairs of her guests.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
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Mad Men’s Sally Draper, and Stranger Things’ Charlie Heaton—for a tawdry, deceptive, disastrous hookup.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kitsch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kitsch. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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