corniness
Tryhard wholesome quality
Corniness is the quality of being corny—overly sentimental, trite, or unsophisticated in a way that invites mild ridicule: The corniness of the dialogue made everyone groan.
The word acknowledges that something is hackneyed or saccharine, though sometimes with affection for its old-fashioned charm: I love the movie despite its corniness.
Excessively theatrical in style
- schmaltzyExcessively and insincerely sentimental
- hokeyCheaply sentimental or contrived
- melodramaticExaggeratedly emotional in expression
- sappyExcessively sentimental
campy · cornball · overdone · overacting · gimmicky · soap-opera · mawkish · exaggerated
Excessively and insincerely sentimental
- sappyExcessively sentimental
- maudlinExcessively tearful sentiment
- syrupyExcessively sweet or sentimental
- saccharineExaggeratedly sentimental
weepy · overwrought · treacly · gushing · mushy · sugary · tearjerker · cloying
Overused and unoriginal
- triteOverused, lacking freshness
- overusedEmployed too frequently
- predictableAble to be foreseen
- unoriginalNot new or novel
derivative · worn-out · shopworn · stale · formulaic · platitude · trope · banality
Vulgar or slightly sticky
- campyEntertainingly artificial and overblown
- tchotchkeSmall decorative trifle
- chintzyGaudy yet cheap
- noveltyQuality of being original
gaudy · garish · kitschy · velvet painting · lawn ornament · souvenir · snow globe · ceramic figurine
hammy
Excessively theatrical in style
- schmaltzyExcessively and insincerely sentimental
- hokeyCheaply sentimental or contrived
- melodramaticExaggeratedly emotional in expression
sappy · campy · cornball · overdone · overacting · gimmicky · soap-opera · mawkish · exaggerated · over-the-top
schmaltzy
Excessively and insincerely sentimental
- sappyExcessively sentimental
- maudlinExcessively tearful sentiment
- syrupyExcessively sweet or sentimental
saccharine · weepy · overwrought · treacly · gushing · mushy · sugary · tearjerker · cloying · sentimental
hackneyed
Overused and unoriginal
- triteOverused, lacking freshness
- overusedEmployed too frequently
- predictableAble to be foreseen
unoriginal · derivative · worn-out · shopworn · stale · formulaic · platitude · trope · banality · stock phrase
tacky
Vulgar or slightly sticky
novelty · gaudy · garish · kitschy · velvet painting · lawn ornament · souvenir · snow globe · ceramic figurine · tiki
- humorjoke, jokes, joking, comedy, comic
- clichescliche, platitude, bromide, tired phrase, worn phrase
- Types of Humorsilliness, funniness, wittiness, zaniness, wit
- cheesy thingstackiness, kitsch, schlock, hokiness, cliche
- sentimentalitymawkish, schmaltzy, saccharine, treacly, cloying
- tackinesstackiness, gaudiness, garishness, tawdriness, trashiness
corninesssubtlety
Fine distinction, easily missed
sophistication · refinement · nuance · understatement · elegance
corninessauthenticity
Quality of being genuine
genuineness · sincerity · emotional honesty · rawness · truthfulness
corninesscoolness
Calm self-possession
hipness · edginess · trendiness · avant-garde · cutting-edge
corn, corny, cornfield, cornmeal, corncob, cornier, corniest, cornily