Corny — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈkȯr-nē/

Meaning & Definition of Corny

Corny (adjective)

  1. mawkishly old-fashioned, tiresomely simple and sentimental
  2. of or relating to corn
  3. tasting strongly of malt
  4. relating to or having corns on the feet

Corny (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

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

    "corny violin music during the movie's love scenes"

    similar: chocolate-box, cloying, 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

  2. tiresomely obvious and unsophisticated

    "the audience groaned as the emcee told one corny joke after another"

    similar: cornball, corn-fed, cornpone, hokey
    related: countrified, down-home, folksy, rustic, hick, hickish
    near: cosmopolitan, smart, sophisticated, worldly, worldly-wise, hip, trendy, with-it

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Corny

The most common words with a similar meaning to Corny:

chocolate-box, cloying, drippy, fruity, gooey, lovey-dovey, maudlin, mawkish, mushy, novelettish, saccharine, sappy, schmaltzy, sentimental, sloppy, slushy, soppy, soupy, spoony, sticky, sugarcoated, sugary, wet, cornball, corn-fed, cornpone, hokey

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Corny

Words with the opposite meaning of Corny:

unsentimental

Related Words for Corny

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, countrified, down-home, folksy, rustic, hick, hickish

Near Antonyms of Corny

unadulterated, unvarnished, antisentimental, cynical, hard-boiled, hard-edged, hardheaded, cosmopolitan, smart, sophisticated, worldly, worldly-wise, hip, trendy, with-it

Word Forms of Corny

Inflections: cornier, corniest

Derived words: cornily (adverb), corniness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Corny

Middle English, from corn corn:1 + -y -y:1

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Corny

What does "Corny" mean?

"Corny" means mawkishly old-fashioned, tiresomely simple and sentimental. As an adjective, it is defined as: mawkishly old-fashioned, tiresomely simple and sentimental. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Corny"?

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

What are different ways to say "Corny"?

There are 53 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Corny". Common alternatives include chocolate-box, cloying, drippy, fruity, gooey, lovey-dovey, maudlin, mawkish, mushy and novelettish.

What is the opposite of "Corny"?

Antonyms of "Corny" include unsentimental. Near antonyms include unadulterated, unvarnished, antisentimental and cynical.

How do you use "Corny" in a sentence?

Examples of "Corny" in a sentence: "corny violin music during the movie's love scenes"; "the audience groaned as the emcee told one corny joke after another".

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

"Corny" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Corny"?

"Corny" is pronounced /ˈkȯr-nē/.

What is the origin of the word "Corny"?

"Corny" comes from Middle English, from corn corn:1 + -y -y:1. First known use: 14th century.