variants or schlocky also shlock or shlocky
Definition of schlocknext

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 schlock Besson oversees another schlocky genre flick with a few bravura fight scenes but not much else going for it. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 And talk about schlock, surely there was something if not exactly schlocky then definitely sensationalist about Marcia’s way of eviscerating an artist or an event. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 Bosses recently told Deadline that microdrama has moved well beyond cheap, schlocky imitations of traditional TV and film. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 July 2026 Well, people have always written schlocky or formulaic books. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 June 2026 Yet despite their cultural staying power, power ballads have historically received little scholarly attention, in part because they are often dismissed as schlocky and banal. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 22 May 2026 Quentin Tarantino’s outrageous revisionist Western is wildly over-the-top, combining the director’s penchant for gratuitous violence and sparkling dialogue with a story that’s pleasingly labyrinthine but nothing if not schlocky. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026 But that shift is still recent, and decades of cultural baggage — from sexist slasher stereotypes to schlocky late-night programming — continue to shape perception. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026 The film finally returns to Dracula’s castle, where four stone gargoyles come to life, and where there is bad swordplay, schlocky cannon fire, and a fortune-cookie theological lecture from Waltz’s Priest. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schlock
Adjective
  • As the currency appreciates, imports — which play a significant role in the economy — become cheaper.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • About seven months ago, the average 30-year mortgage rate briefly dipped below 6% for the first time in years, prompting hopes that cheaper borrowing would finally unfreeze the housing market.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • After a terrible start in Week 1, Denver’s stingy defense returned to form.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Eventually, Håkan is forced to participate in this omnipresent bloodshed, at a terrible cost to his soul and his reputation.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Renovation will only yield temporary improvement unless the original cause of a poor-quality lawn is remedied.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The consequences of a poor performance in the takeaway department sets a very high standard for rookies, something that can only bode well for the future.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The same can be said for TCU’s offense as well after the past two games against inferior opponents.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Beating the Titans on the road in Week 1 proved the Jets can take care of business against an inferior opponent.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Previous Evil pics have been rotten on Rotten Tomatoes with critics.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
  • If the produce’s skin is moldy, slimy, or rotten, it should be discarded regardless of type, as mold can penetrate beyond the visible surface.
    — Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • This problem will only get worse, with new cancer cases projected to increase 67% by 2050.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In a world where true-crime shows of both the fictional and nonfictional variety run rampant on our screens, that’s probably not a bad corporate strategy.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Schlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schlock. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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