as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards
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Recent Examples of cloying
Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
Mocha landed on the more cloying end and the Salted Caramel much more reminiscent of asking your barista to add just one or two flavor shots.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2025
His frequent use of direct-to-camera narration initially seems like a cloying misstep (mostly because so many other movies have sucked the fun out of that device).
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The cloying missive goes on to explain that Google didn't really want to ban all those accounts, but Biden administration officials just kept asking.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Adjective
And lest the moment lean too cloying or sentimental, this shot’s earnestness is undercut with a playful wink.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
Mocha landed on the more cloying end and the Salted Caramel much more reminiscent of asking your barista to add just one or two flavor shots.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2025
His frequent use of direct-to-camera narration initially seems like a cloying misstep (mostly because so many other movies have sucked the fun out of that device).
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The cloying missive goes on to explain that Google didn't really want to ban all those accounts, but Biden administration officials just kept asking.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloying
Adjective
-
But Prairie Village is a sentimental spot for Bracco and his wife.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
None of the people close to them care about it because the majority of the people that are advising kids now are agents who are looking at it from a business perspective, or families that are not sentimental about any of this.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Avoid puddling or saturating the soil.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But there’s a difference between accepting the legality of gambling and actively promoting it, whether that’s through opening sportsbooks at stadiums like Wrigley Field or saturating game broadcasts with gambling advertisements.—
Michael Delayo,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Equal parts creature feature and Florida noir, Mermaid is sticky, sunburned, and defiantly strange.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Maurer imagines blending the fungi with Martian or lunar dirt; their sticky mycelia would cement it into an extraterrestrial equivalent of particle board.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The move allowed the Senate to effectively end the shutdown and leave town for its preplanned recess, while also alleviating the long waits at airports throughout the country ahead of a time of heavy travel in early April for Easter and Passover.—
Justin Papp,Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
-
There are no quick fixes to alleviating the state’s housing woes.—
Jeff Montejano,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This team is inconsistent, sloppy and soft.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Just six of those came in the second half and the Bruins took better care of the ball while running their offense more efficiently, but sloppy play and frustration have flared up despite the Bruins’ veteran leadership.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If a health problem is completely random and isolated, meaning the rest of the family is free from risk, the news can be relieving, if complicated.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Many agree that relieving economic distress must be an immediate focus, but while some believe that should entail a gradual, socialist-style liberalization of the economy, others want a total transition to free-market capitalism, including more foreign investment and private enterprise.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Sincerity never sounds saccharine in Ives’ hands.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Even if Project Hail Mary at times leans into the sentiment to an almost saccharine degree, the movie’s natural sweetness is disarming.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cloying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloying. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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