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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cloying
Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 July 2025
Why Guava Is Summer 2025's Breakout Flavor Guava might not be as familiar as strawberry or raspberry jam, but its flavor is instantly crave-worthy—slightly floral and naturally sweet without being cloying.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2025
The alluring scent of chocolate, glorious chocolate, wafts toward you, sweet but not cloying, heady and intoxicating.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025
Despite its fame, the wine is measured and clean, not cloying.
—Rachel King, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Verb
This appealingly low-ABV cocktail—sherry typically clocks in at 15 to 20 percent—is perfect for folks who find vermouth to be a bit too cloying.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 July 2025
Why Guava Is Summer 2025's Breakout Flavor Guava might not be as familiar as strawberry or raspberry jam, but its flavor is instantly crave-worthy—slightly floral and naturally sweet without being cloying.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2025
The alluring scent of chocolate, glorious chocolate, wafts toward you, sweet but not cloying, heady and intoxicating.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025
Despite its fame, the wine is measured and clean, not cloying.
—Rachel King, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloying
Adjective
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Andrew Tate and the U-91 leads the standings coming into Mission Bay, although the sentimental favorite could be Dave Villwock, a longshot entering the weekend in fourth place.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Sep. 2025
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Coel gets her moments to assert her character, a smooth operator who masks a surprising sentimental streak.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In pastel satin, the shoe softened the architecture while saturating the butter tone that has been trending on red carpets all month.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
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English advises saturating natural hair mats with Designme’s leave-in treatment, then applying their rich hydrating mask before detangling (first pass with your fingers, then with a wide-tooth comb) from the ends to the roots.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to San Angelo, some signs of a dirty microwave filter include if they are discolored, sticky, and/or sometimes smell like grease.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
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Sapodilla, a pear-like fruit that looks like a coconut, adds a malty butterscotch intensity to a sticky toffee pudding.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Third, the letter writer and her family might want to consider engaging a geriatric care manager who could help them to identify supplementary services and connections in the local community that could go at least some way to alleviating her isolation.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
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Third, something the letter writer and her family might want to consider engaging a geriatric care manager who could help them to identify supplementary services and connections in the local community that could go at least some way to alleviating her isolation.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The three-part Season 5 premiere feels incredibly sloppy to me overall.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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With that history and with Aaron Glenn trying to deliver a message just one game into his head coaching career, Gipson will serve as the example to the rest of the Jets' roster that sloppy turnovers will not be tolerated.—
Michael Hurley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Commissioner Gary West made the motion to accept the new land use designation, relieving Josh‘s of its itinerant status despite the business being a fixture in town since the 1990s.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Sep. 2025
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This process may help your mouth hold onto moisture, possibly preventing or relieving dry mouth.—
Lauren O'Connor,
Health,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That saccharine silliness juxtaposed with the heady themes of the plot are part of the DNA of the franchise throughout all entries and would follow Kojima to his current work on Death Stranding.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
22 Aug. 2025
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At DurianBB Park in Kuala Lumpur, people taste platters of varieties of the spiky, football-sized fruit – from the saccharine sweet Musang King to the custardy Black Thorn – grown at the company’s farms.—
Amy Gunia,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cloying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloying. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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