cloying
Adjective
Hard difficulty
What does “cloying” mean?
adjective.excessively sweet, rich, or sentimental, especially to a sickening degree.
SAT Usage
The term is often used in contexts involving literature, art, or emotional expressions, highlighting an overwhelming quality that can lead to discomfort or distaste. It emphasizes a saturation of sweetness or sentimentality that detracts from authenticity, distinguishing it from words like "sentimental," which may not carry the same negative connotation.
Common Confusions
Cloying implies an overwhelming sweetness or sentimentality that can be unpleasant, while sentimental usually suggests a more moderate and often positive expression of emotion without the same degree of excess.
Do not choose cloying if the context emphasizes a balanced or pleasant sweetness rather than excessive sweetness, richness, or sentimentality to a sickening degree.
Example Sentences
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The movie's cloying sentimentality was hard to watch.