Cloying — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈklȯi-iŋ/ cloy·ing

Meaning & Definition of Cloying

Cloying (adjective)

  1. disgusting or distasteful by reason of excess; also, excessively sweet or sentimental

Cloying (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way

    "the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards"

    similar: chocolate-box, corny, drippy, fruity, gooey, lovey-dovey, maudlin, mawkish, mushy, novelettish, saccharine, sappy, schmaltzy, sentimental, sloppy, slushy, soppy, soupy, spoony, sticky, sugarcoated, sugary, wet
    related: dreamy, misty-eyed, moonstruck, moony, nostalgic, starry-eyed, feel-good, fuzzy, melodramatic, soap-operatic, soapy, sudsy, flat, insipid, soft-boiled, tasteless, vapid, watery, cutesy, twee (chiefly British)
    opposite: unsentimental
    near: unadulterated, unvarnished, antisentimental, cynical, hard-boiled, hard-edged, hardheaded

Cloying (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in saturating, surfeiting

    similar: saturating, surfeiting, alleviating, lightening, relieving, catering (to), gratifying, humoring, indulging, assuaging, quenching, satiating, sating, satisfying, slaking
    opposite: arousing, exciting, piquing, stimulating, tantalizing, teasing

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cloying

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cloying:

chocolate-box, corny, drippy, fruity, gooey, lovey-dovey, maudlin, mawkish, mushy, novelettish, saccharine, sappy, schmaltzy, sentimental, sloppy, slushy, soppy, soupy, spoony, sticky, sugarcoated, sugary, wet, saturating, surfeiting, alleviating, lightening, relieving, catering (to), gratifying, humoring, indulging, assuaging, quenching, satiating, sating, satisfying, slaking

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cloying

Words with the opposite meaning of Cloying:

unsentimental, arousing, exciting, piquing, stimulating, tantalizing, teasing

Related Words for Cloying

dreamy, misty-eyed, moonstruck, moony, nostalgic, starry-eyed, feel-good, fuzzy, melodramatic, soap-operatic, soapy, sudsy, flat, insipid, soft-boiled, tasteless, vapid, watery, cutesy, twee

Near Antonyms of Cloying

unadulterated, unvarnished, antisentimental, cynical, hard-boiled, hard-edged, hardheaded

Word Forms of Cloying

Derived words: cloyingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Cloying

First known use: 1594

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cloying

Frequently Asked Questions about Cloying

What does "Cloying" mean?

"Cloying" means disgusting or distasteful by reason of excess; also, excessively sweet or sentimental. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: disgusting or distasteful by reason of excess; also, excessively sweet or sentimental. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Cloying"?

Other words for "Cloying" include chocolate-box, corny, drippy, fruity, gooey, lovey-dovey, maudlin and mawkish. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cloying" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cloying"?

There are 58 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cloying". Common alternatives include chocolate-box, corny, drippy, fruity, gooey, lovey-dovey, maudlin, mawkish, mushy and novelettish.

What is the opposite of "Cloying"?

Antonyms of "Cloying" include unsentimental, arousing, exciting, piquing, stimulating, tantalizing and teasing. Near antonyms include unadulterated, unvarnished, antisentimental and cynical.

How do you use "Cloying" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cloying" in a sentence: "the cloying sentiments of so many Mother's Day cards".

Is "Cloying" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cloying" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Cloying" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Cloying" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Cloying"?

"Cloying" is pronounced /ˈklȯi-iŋ/ and divided into syllables as cloy·ing.