as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a mawkish plea for donations to the charity
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Recent Examples of mawkish
After a mawkish beginning, the play somewhat redeems itself through earned emotions and an ambiguous ending that begs discussion.
—
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 June 2025
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, jailed and banned frequently, has never allowed his work to get mawkish.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
If that line of reasoning is too mawkish and bleeding-heart for your taste, Worsley makes a more pragmatic argument for a generous, welcoming immigration policy, one unsentimentally rooted in cold dollars and cents.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 15 May 2025
These kinds of pictures are intended to provoke—to catch the eye with their mawkish absurdity and uncanny-valley optics.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 June 2025
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, jailed and banned frequently, has never allowed his work to get mawkish.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
If that line of reasoning is too mawkish and bleeding-heart for your taste, Worsley makes a more pragmatic argument for a generous, welcoming immigration policy, one unsentimentally rooted in cold dollars and cents.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 15 May 2025
These kinds of pictures are intended to provoke—to catch the eye with their mawkish absurdity and uncanny-valley optics.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mawkish
Adjective
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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
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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
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The watery consommé subsumed what few masa dumplings swam their lonesome swirls in the bowl, with cobs of corn left like derelict buoys in the sloppy orange miasma.—
Mike Sutter,
San Antonio Express-News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Every league has flaws, but the NBA stands out for how often blowouts, injuries, and sloppy play dominate the product.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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,
21 Apr. 2026
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On immediate application, the product comfortably clings to lips without feeling sticky or heavy.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mawkish. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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