fulsome
Overdone in praise
Fulsome has two meanings that can cause confusion.
The older sense is excessive or insincere: fulsome praise that feels cloying or suspiciously overdone.
But many speakers now use fulsome to mean abundant or full-throated: a fulsome apology, fulsome support.
Context usually clarifies intent, though the ambiguity occasionally creates misunderstanding—what one person means as generous, another hears as unctuous.
Existing in excess
- extravagantExceeding sensible bounds
- immoderateBeyond reasonable bounds
- profuseExtremely abundant, overflowing
- overflowingExceeding capacity, spilling out
lavish · copious · abundant · effusive · gushing · overwrought · florid · verbose
Expression of approval
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- sycophanticServilely flattering
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
fawning · oleaginous · smarmy · cloying · saccharine · honeyed · buttery · glib
Provoking strong revulsion
- nauseatingCausing urge to vomit
- repulsiveCausing strong disgust
- loathsomeArousing intense disgust
- grossTotal before subtractions
sickening · distasteful · repugnant · foul · rank · cloying · off-putting · stomach-turning
overabundant
Existing in excess
- extravagantExceeding sensible bounds
- immoderateBeyond reasonable bounds
- profuseExtremely abundant, overflowing
overflowing · lavish · copious · abundant · effusive · gushing · overwrought · florid · verbose · elaborate
praise
Expression of approval
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- sycophanticServilely flattering
- unctuousExcessively and insincerely earnest
obsequious · fawning · oleaginous · smarmy · cloying · saccharine · honeyed · buttery · glib · ingratiating
disgusting
Provoking strong revulsion
- nauseatingCausing urge to vomit
- repulsiveCausing strong disgust
- loathsomeArousing intense disgust
gross · sickening · distasteful · repugnant · foul · rank · cloying · off-putting · stomach-turning · unpalatable
- misused wordsliterally, irregardless, ironic, disinterested, nauseous
- sentimentalitymawkish, schmaltzy, saccharine, treacly, cloying
- archaic wordsthee, thou, thy, thine, tis
fulsomerestrained
Held under control
understated · sparing · measured · moderate · stinting
fulsomestingy
Unwilling to spend freely
miserly · parsimonious · ungenerous · stinting · tight-fisted