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
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
The flashbacks are dreamy without becoming mawkish, and Gemma’s scenes in Lumon are nightmarish without feeling untethered or otherwordly.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 28 Feb. 2025
Roz rescues wildlife in a Noah’s Ark analogue, then goes from being a disingenuous Christ figure offering sacrifice and promise (but no resurrection) to a mawkish maternal figure.
—Armond White, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025
Beyond all the legal and even medical specifics resides a sense of communal understanding, and — at the risk of sounding mawkish — a deep and abiding love for one’s fellow human beings, which Feder taps into with aplomb.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2025
The flashbacks are dreamy without becoming mawkish, and Gemma’s scenes in Lumon are nightmarish without feeling untethered or otherwordly.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 28 Feb. 2025
Roz rescues wildlife in a Noah’s Ark analogue, then goes from being a disingenuous Christ figure offering sacrifice and promise (but no resurrection) to a mawkish maternal figure.
—Armond White, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025
Beyond all the legal and even medical specifics resides a sense of communal understanding, and — at the risk of sounding mawkish — a deep and abiding love for one’s fellow human beings, which Feder taps into with aplomb.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mawkish
Adjective
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The ‘pouf sentimental’ hairstyle was created by hairdresser Leonard Autie and debuted on the Duchesse de Chartres in 1774, famously adorned with 14 yards of gauze, figurines, a plate of cherries and a parrot.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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That is my favorite now because of sentimental reasons.—
Heran Mamo,
Billboard,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Driving Challenges tackle rock gardens, blind drop-offs, and water crossings where sloppy throttle work comes at a cost.—
Shelby Knick,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Thus far, the Wind Down delivers with its clean lines, deep cushions, and just-right balance of softness and structure that is far from sloppy—even with her young child is known to practice high dives and a somersaults or two.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Our formulas are oxybenzone-free, water- and sweat-resistant, and designed lightweight unlike typical sport sunscreens that leave you feeling sticky or break down in the heat of competition.—
Dave Knox,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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Season 3, relentless in its examination of the sticky contours of Carm’s trauma, offered fewer bursts of that kind of respite.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mawkish. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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