Sappy: meaning, definitions and examples

Informal context where something is overly sweet or emotional. Often used to describe movies, songs, or messages that are excessively sentimental.

• That romance movie was way too sappy for my taste.
• He wrote a sappy love letter that made everyone cringe.

Neutral context where emotions or feelings are expressed in a tender way. Used for describing things that evoke a sense of nostalgia or affection.

• She kept all her old letters for sentimental reasons.
• It was a sentimental journey back to their hometown.

More formal or literary context, indicating something excessively sentimental to the point of being sickening. Often used in a negative tone.

• The novel's mawkish sentimentality was off-putting.
• Her mawkish display of affection made everyone uncomfortable.

Describing someone who is on the verge of tears or is actually crying. Can be used in both positive and negative scenarios.

• She gave a tearful goodbye before moving away.
• His tearful confession moved everyone in the room.