mushiness

noun

Definition of mushinessnext
as in sentimentality
the state or quality of having an excess of tender feelings (as of love, nostalgia, or compassion) prefers mindless action movies to the "mushiness" of romantic comedies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mushiness The best designs are mindful of factors like drainage to prevent mushiness and use materials that won’t cling to your soap (ceramic and silicone, for example). — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mushiness
  1. sentimentality
  2. sentimentalism
Noun
  • Austen herself, with her aversion to sentimentality, would have disapproved.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Our job is not to use any melodrama or sentimentality to manipulate or rope the audience into the situation.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of sentimentality
Noun
  • The Academy historically goes for sentimentalism.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
  • While leaders of the nature-study movement warned against sentimentalism and make-believe, young readers were delighted by such tales.
    — Jessica George, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2025
Definition of sentimentalism

Browse Nearby Words

mush
mushiness
mushroom
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Cite this Entry

“Mushiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mushiness. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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