cloying Definition
- 1disgustingly or excessively sweet or sentimental
- 2causing a feeling of disgust or aversion due to excessiveness
Using cloying: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "cloying" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The cloying scent of the flowers made her feel nauseous.
Example
The movie's cloying sentimentality turned off many viewers.
Example
The dessert was too cloying for my taste.
Example
The cloying sweetness of the syrup was overwhelming.
cloying Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for cloying
Antonyms for cloying
- refreshing
- invigorating
- stimulating
Phrases with cloying
an excessive and overwhelming display of affection or sentimentality in a romantic relationship
Example
His cloying love for her made her feel suffocated.
Example
The cloying sweetness of the cake made it difficult to eat more than a small slice.
an overpowering and unpleasant smell, often used to describe perfumes or scented products
Example
The cloying smell of the perfume made her feel dizzy.
Origins of cloying
from Middle English 'cloyen', meaning 'to hinder or prevent from moving forward'
Summary: cloying in Brief
'Cloying' [kloi-ing] describes something that is excessively sweet or sentimental, causing a feeling of disgust or aversion due to excessiveness. It can be used to describe anything from smells to emotions, as in 'The dessert was too cloying for my taste.' 'Cloying' has synonyms like 'sickly' and 'overwhelming,' and antonyms like 'refreshing' and 'invigorating.'
