cloying

adjective

cloy·ing ˈklȯi-iŋ How to pronounce cloying (audio)

ˈklȯiŋ

: disgusting or distasteful by reason of excess

cloying sweetness

also : excessively sweet or sentimental

a cloying romantic comedy

Her coyness grows cloying after a while …

Elysa Gardner

cloyingly adverb

Did you know?

"Can one desire too much of a good thing?" asks Rosalind in William Shakespeare's play As You Like It. Cloying suggests that you can because it implies a repugnant excess of something that might be pleasing in smaller doses. An exploration into the history of cloying, however, leads us eventually to roots that are neither sweet nor excessive, but rather tough as nails. Cloying derives from the verb cloy, which now means "to supply or indulge to excess," but which once meant "to clog" and earlier "to prick a horse with a nail in shoeing." Cloy itself traces via Middle English to Anglo-French encloer (which also meant "to prick a horse with a nail in shoeing") and ultimately to Latin clavus, meaning "nail."

Example Sentences

After a while, the softness of his voice becomes cloying. the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards

Recent Examples on the Web The result is miraculously neither pompous nor cloying.

Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2022 The series is also a showcase for the affect that Richardson has become known for, an extra-beatific quality that verges on pathological but is never pathetic or cloying, even when the goofiness runs sweet.

The New Yorker, 29 May 2022 That might feel cloying or manipulative in less capable hands, but everything here is so pitch-perfect that the game simply feels nostalgic and comfortable.

Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 29 Apr. 2022 Gisou's has a great balance that's not too cloying.

Jihan Forbes, Allure, 20 Apr. 2022 So much of the play is filled with exposition that the emotional impact of the story's more dramatic moments are lost, the piece instead coming off as cloying as a Hallmark Christmas movie despite director Vivienne Benesch's best efforts.

Dave Quinn, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2022 Biodramas don’t usually have the best reputation among cinephiles as they’re often seen as formulaic and cloying, but biodramas featuring women are usually even less well-received, sometimes snidely compared by critics to made-for-TV movies.

Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2022 Floral in the nose, lime, more acid, greener fruit, slightly grassy but not as cloying as an Australian or New Zealand Sauv Blanc.

Marc Bona, cleveland, 13 Mar. 2022 At the low end, meanwhile, Chardonnay is often fashioned into a cloying, flat, off-putting specimen.

Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2022 See More

单词	cloying
释义	cloying adjective cloy·ing ˈklȯi-iŋ ˈklȯiŋ : disgusting or distasteful by reason of excess cloying sweetness also : excessively sweet or sentimental a cloying romantic comedy Her coyness grows cloying after a while … Elysa Gardner cloyingly adverb Did you know? "Can one desire too much of a good thing?" asks Rosalind in William Shakespeare's play As You Like It. Cloying suggests that you can because it implies a repugnant excess of something that might be pleasing in smaller doses. An exploration into the history of cloying, however, leads us eventually to roots that are neither sweet nor excessive, but rather tough as nails. Cloying derives from the verb cloy, which now means "to supply or indulge to excess," but which once meant "to clog" and earlier "to prick a horse with a nail in shoeing." Cloy itself traces via Middle English to Anglo-French encloer (which also meant "to prick a horse with a nail in shoeing") and ultimately to Latin clavus, meaning "nail." Synonyms chocolate-box corny drippy fruity gooey lovey-dovey maudlin mawkish mushy novelettish saccharine sappy schmaltzy sentimental sloppy slushy soppy soupy spoony spooney sticky sugarcoated sugary wet See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences After a while, the softness of his voice becomes cloying. the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards Recent Examples on the Web The result is miraculously neither pompous nor cloying. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2022 The series is also a showcase for the affect that Richardson has become known for, an extra-beatific quality that verges on pathological but is never pathetic or cloying, even when the goofiness runs sweet. The New Yorker, 29 May 2022 That might feel cloying or manipulative in less capable hands, but everything here is so pitch-perfect that the game simply feels nostalgic and comfortable. Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 29 Apr. 2022 Gisou's has a great balance that's not too cloying. Jihan Forbes, Allure, 20 Apr. 2022 So much of the play is filled with exposition that the emotional impact of the story's more dramatic moments are lost, the piece instead coming off as cloying as a Hallmark Christmas movie despite director Vivienne Benesch's best efforts. Dave Quinn, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2022 Biodramas don’t usually have the best reputation among cinephiles as they’re often seen as formulaic and cloying, but biodramas featuring women are usually even less well-received, sometimes snidely compared by critics to made-for-TV movies. Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2022 Floral in the nose, lime, more acid, greener fruit, slightly grassy but not as cloying as an Australian or New Zealand Sauv Blanc. Marc Bona, cleveland, 13 Mar. 2022 At the low end, meanwhile, Chardonnay is often fashioned into a cloying, flat, off-putting specimen. Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2022 See More Word History Etymology see cloy First Known Use 1594, in the meaning defined above cloying 1 of 2 adjective as in sentimental appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance sentimental sticky sloppy saccharine mawkish maudlin schmaltzy sugary sappy wet gooey drippy corny fuzzy fruity soppy sugarcoated mushy slushy soupy spoony lovey-dovey chocolate-box spooney nostalgic dreamy melodramatic soapy insipid moony novelettish vapid sudsy moonstruck cutesy tasteless misty-eyed feel-good twee starry-eyed watery soap-operatic flat soft-boiled Antonyms & Near Antonyms unsentimental cynical unadulterated unvarnished antisentimental hard-edged hardheaded hard-boiled See More cloying 2 of 2 verb present participle of cloy as in saturating Synonyms & Similar Words saturating alleviating surfeiting relieving gratifying humoring indulging lightening satiating satisfying quenching assuaging slaking catering (to) sating Antonyms & Near Antonyms exciting arousing stimulating tantalizing teasing piquing
随便看	stilts stilty stilus stiluses Stilwell stim stime stimed stimes stimied stimies stiming stimmed stimming Stimmung stimpart stims Stimson stimulability stimulable stimulancy stimulant stimulants stimulate stimulated

cloying

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

adjective

verb