as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a mawkish plea for donations to the charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sentimentality
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mawkish
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
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
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
Then things just unravel into a half-hour of thoroughly phony mawkishness.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Adjective
Knight’s directorial debut never tips over into mawkish but has some unashamedly tender moments.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
These films explore those bonds without ever resorting to bromides or mawkishness.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
Then things just unravel into a half-hour of thoroughly phony mawkishness.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mawkish
Adjective
-
Or, for Mark Layne, sentimental.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
-
The month begins with Mercury entering sentimental Cancer on June 1, adding a layer of sensitivity, intuition and vulnerability to our exchanges.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Spinella shucks off sentimentality, always showing us Con’s offhand humor and sometimes nervous, defensive rambling.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
Anyone who has spoken at a funeral can appreciate the delicate balance of honesty and sentimentality in effect on Hold Onto Me Infinity, a pop album about grief.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
His edges going backwards can be a little sloppy, but with some refinement and good coaching, there could be something there.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
The Rays had a chance for more as the Tigers continued their sloppy play.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The Academy historically goes for sentimentalism.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
4 Oct. 2025
-
McBride is less interested in exploring another motivation for saving locks of hair: the particular sentimentalism that made people cherish the hair of loved ones, especially those who had died, or of honored forebears.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
But when rains fall heavily between November and April, sticky clay soils make traveling around it tricky.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
One non-stick skillet for delicate foods (eggs, omelets, fish) and sticky batters (pancakes).—
Ryan Brennan
June 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mawkish. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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