Mawkishness: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is often used to describe an overly emotional reaction that feels insincere or exaggerated. It has a negative connotation.

• The movie's mawkishness made it difficult to take the characters seriously

Sappiness refers to being overly sentimental or cheesy, often in a way that seems foolish or immature. It usually has a mildly negative connotation.

• The show's sappiness is endearing to some viewers but off-putting to others

Sentimentality denotes an excessive reliance on tender emotions, often evoking nostalgia or affection. It can be used both positively and negatively.

• The old photographs were a treasure trove of sentimentality for the family

This term is used when something is excessively sweet or emotional to the point of being distasteful or irritating. It also carries a negative connotation.

• The cloyingness of the greeting card's message was almost unbearable

Often used to describe an excessive, sickening sentimentality that makes people uncomfortable or annoyed. Typically negative in tone.

• The movie was ruined by its mawkishness, making even the most emotional scenes cheesily overdone.
• His constant expressions of mawkishness made the heartfelt moment feel disingenuous.

Used to talk about sentimentality that doesn't come across as strong or profound, but instead comes off as timid or unconvincing.

• The playwright's attempt at creating sentiment fell flat, resulting in nothing but weak sentimentality.
• His speech was filled with weak sentimentality which made it hard to take him seriously.

Describes emotion that is bland, lacking in depth or significance. It often feels empty and unengaging.

• Her performance was full of insipid emotion, leaving the audience bored and disconnected.
• The dialogue was riddled with insipid emotion, making the characters seem unrealistic.

Refers to a kind of weak, ineffective sentimentality that lacks genuine emotion or impact. It can feel like it's trying too hard.

• The novel was criticized for its feeble sappiness, which failed to evoke any real emotional response from readers.
• Audiences found the commercial's feeble sappiness unconvincing and insincere.