Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

mawkishness

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of mawkishness

the state or quality of having an excess of tender feelings (as of love, nostalgia, or compassion)

  • the grating mawkishness of her poetry makes me want to stamp on wildflowers
Synonyms of mawkishness

bathos, gooeyness, lovey-doveyness, mush, mushiness, saccharinity, sappiness, sentimentalism, sentimentality, sloppiness, soppiness, syrup (also sirup)
Words Related to mawkishness

emotion

sentiment

corn, corniness, hokeyness (or hokiness), schmaltz (also schmalz)
Near Antonyms of mawkishness

cynicism, hardheadedness, hard-heartedness

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up mawkishness? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

henchman

a trusted follower

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. gaslight It is a word, though.

  2. invasion CNN reporter questions President.

  3. relevancy Ariana Grande slams ex-fiancé.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games