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Mawkish Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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mawkish

[หˆmษ”:kษชสƒ ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

emotional

characterized by sickly sentimentality; weakly emotional; maudlin

Synonyms

emotional, maudlin, sappy, sentimental.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
mawkish

Used to describe something that is overly sentimental in a way that seems exaggerated or insincere.

  • The movie was so mawkish that it made everyone in the theater roll their eyes.
  • He wrote a mawkish letter to his ex-girlfriend, filled with clichรฉs.
sentimental

Used to describe something that appeals to the emotions, often by evoking nostalgia or memories.

  • She kept the old letters for sentimental reasons.
  • The film was beautifully sentimental and brought back memories of childhood.
maudlin

Typically used to describe self-pitying or overly sentimental behavior, often with a negative connotation.

  • After a few drinks, he became maudlin and started talking about his lost love.
  • The film was so maudlin that it was hard to take seriously.
emotional

Used when referring to feelings that are intense or easily affected by situations.

  • She gave an emotional speech about her struggles.
  • He was very emotional after hearing the news.
sappy

Informal term often used to describe something excessively sentimental or cheesy, generally with a negative connotation.

  • The TV show's plot was way too sappy for my taste.
  • Why are all romantic comedies so sappy?

Examples of usage

  • He has a mawkish appreciation for romantic comedies.
  • The mawkish movie made everyone in the theater cry.
  • Her mawkish behavior was starting to annoy her friends.
  • I find his mawkish speeches hard to listen to.
  • The novel was criticized for its mawkish portrayal of love.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Pop Culture

  • In films, mawkish moments often occur during dramatic scenes, where characters express extreme emotions, such as prolonged goodbyes or exaggerated love declarations.
  • Certain romantic comedies are criticized for being mawkish when the relationship between characters seems overly idealized and unrealistic.
  • Music can also be mawkish; songs that lay heavily on emotions without depth may create a longing feeling but can come off as cheesy or forced.

Psychology

  • People might react negatively to mawkishness because it can feel deceptive, causing mistrust or discomfort with the emotional display.
  • Excessive emotional expressions can lead to 'emotional fatigue' in audiences, leaving them feeling overwhelmed rather than uplifted.
  • Psychologically, a significant response to mawkishness can stem from personal experiences, where excessive emotion may trigger memories of loss or vulnerability.

Literature

  • Some authors purposefully write with a mawkish tone to evoke strong reader reactions, knowing that this style can elicit both affection and criticism.
  • Classic works of literature sometimes critique the mawkish, showcasing characters who overemphasize their feelings, making them appear insincere.
  • Genres like melodrama often embrace mawkishness, as they thrive on high emotions and exaggerated situations to engage their audiences.

Art

  • In visual arts, mawkishness can be depicted in overly sentimental or idealized imagery, often reflecting romanticized views of life.
  • Artists may use soft colors and flowing lines in their work to evoke feelings of nostalgia or sentimentality that border on the mawkish.
  • The excess of emotion in artwork can be polarizing; some viewers appreciate the emotional depth, while others find it too sweet or lacking in authenticity.

Origin of 'mawkish'

Main points about word origin

  • The word 'mawkish' comes from the Middle English term 'maukin,' which referred to a cat or a little woman, implying something overly soft or sentimental.
  • It entered the English language in the 18th century, when writers began using it to describe sentimental poems and stories that felt excessive.
  • The prefix 'maw-' is thought to relate to being overfed or indulged, hinting at the idea of excessive sentimentality.

The word 'mawkish' originated in the early 17th century from the obsolete term 'mawk', which meant 'maggot'. Over time, 'mawkish' evolved to describe something as overly sentimental or weakly emotional. The term has been used in literature and everyday language to criticize excessive displays of emotion or sentimentality.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #33,594 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.