to make weary or cause weariness through an excess of something initially pleasurable or sweet
Word origin
C14 (originally: to nail, hence, to obstruct): from earlier acloyen, from Old French encloer, from Medieval Latin inclavāre, from Latin clāvāre to nail, from clāvus a nail
cloy in American English
(klɔɪ)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
to surfeit, or make weary or displeased, by too much of something, esp. something sweet, rich, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈsatiˌate
Derived forms
cloyingly (ˈcloyingly)
adverb
Word origin
aphetic < ME acloien, to hamper, harm, obstruct < OFr encloyer, to fasten with a nail, hinder < clou, a nail < L clavus, nail: see close2
Examples of 'cloy' in a sentence
cloy
An example of weight and character without cloying sweetness.
Lockspeiser, Jerry & Gear, Jackie Thorsons Organic Wine Guide (1991)
Its strong points are undermined by cloying sentimentality and whimsy.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The honey means that the sweetness isn't cloying and the smooth flakes of almond give a rustic feel.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We found this just a little cloying in its sweetness, not sufficiently clean, although pleasant enough.
Lockspeiser, Jerry & Gear, Jackie Thorsons Organic Wine Guide (1991)
Synonyms of 'cloy'
sicken, disgust, weary, gorge
More Synonyms of cloy
(verb)
Synonyms
sicken
What he saw there sickened him, despite years of police work.
disgust
He disgusted everyone with his boorish behaviour.
weary
He had wearied of teaching in state universities.
gorge
Three men were gorging themselves on grouse and watermelon.
glut
The pond was glutted with fish.
nauseate
The smell of frying nauseated her.
surfeit
satiate
There is enough fruit to satiate several children.
sate
Additional synonyms
in the sense of disgust
Definition
to sicken or fill with loathing
He disgusted everyone with his boorish behaviour.
Synonyms
sicken,
outrage,
offend,
revolt,
put off,
repel,
nauseate,
gross out (slang),
turn your stomach,
fill with loathing,
cause aversion
in the sense of glut
Definition
to supply (a market) with a commodity in excess of the demand for it
The pond was glutted with fish.
Synonyms
overfill,
fill,
stuff,
cram,
satiate
in the sense of gorge
Definition
to eat greedily
Three men were gorging themselves on grouse and watermelon.