Cloyingly - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Cloyingly describes something excessively sweet, sentimental, or rich to the point of being unpleasant or overwhelming. It often refers to flavors, smells, or emotions that feel overly indulgent or tiresome.
Definition:
Excessively sweet or sentimental to the point of being unpleasant.
Synonyms:
sickly, saccharine, overly sweet, nauseating
Part of Speech:
adverb
Antonyms:
refreshingly, austerely
Common Collocations:
cloyingly sweet, cloyingly sentimental, cloyingly affectionate
Derivatives:
cloying, cloyed, cloys
Usage Tips:
Use "cloyingly" to describe something overly sweet or sentimental in a way that feels excessive or unpleasant.
Common Phrases:
cloyingly sweet perfume, cloyingly romantic gesture, cloyingly nostalgic music
Etymology:
Derived from "cloy," meaning to disgust or sicken with excess sweetness, from Middle English "acloyen."
Examples:
- 1. The dessert was cloyingly sweet and hard to finish.
- 2. Her speech was cloyingly sentimental and made some guests uncomfortable.
- 3. The perfume smelled cloyingly strong in the small room.
- 4. He wrote her a cloyingly romantic letter that felt insincere.