hokeyness
Forced folksy charm
Hokeyness is the quality of being hokey—corny, contrived, or excessively sentimental in a way that feels cheap or unconvincing.
The term often describes entertainment that relies on clichés or manipulative emotion: The film's hokeyness turned me off, but my mom loved it.
Sometimes hokeyness is embraced as part of something's charm.
Tiresomely sentimental person
- schmaltzyExcessively and insincerely sentimental
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- campyEntertainingly artificial and overblown
- cornyTiresomely sentimental or trite
sappy · over-the-top · overacted · melodramatic · overdone · goofy · mugging · shtick
Excessively and insincerely sentimental
- maudlinExcessively tearful sentiment
- sappyExcessively sentimental
- saccharineExaggeratedly sentimental
- weepyInclined to cry
treacly · syrupy · cloying · heartstrings · tear-jerker · overwrought · gushing · mushy
Vulgar or slightly sticky
- schlockLow-quality merchandise
- campTemporary outdoor shelter site
- gaudyTastelessly ornate
- garishTastelessly showy
chintzy · kitschy · cheesy · tchotchke · souvenir · novelty · trinket · bric-a-brac
Overused, lacking freshness
- hackneyedOverused and unoriginal
- formulaicFollowing a set template
- predictableAble to be foreseen
- unoriginalNot new or novel
derivative · banal · stock · worn-out · threadbare · overused · timeworn · shopworn
cornball
Tiresomely sentimental person
- schmaltzyExcessively and insincerely sentimental
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- campyEntertainingly artificial and overblown
corny · sappy · over-the-top · overacted · melodramatic · overdone · goofy · mugging · shtick · vaudeville
schmaltzy
Excessively and insincerely sentimental
- maudlinExcessively tearful sentiment
- sappyExcessively sentimental
- saccharineExaggeratedly sentimental
weepy · treacly · syrupy · cloying · heartstrings · tear-jerker · overwrought · gushing · mushy · lovey-dovey
tacky
Vulgar or slightly sticky
garish · chintzy · kitschy · cheesy · tchotchke · souvenir · novelty · trinket · bric-a-brac · knickknack
trite
Overused, lacking freshness
- hackneyedOverused and unoriginal
- formulaicFollowing a set template
- predictableAble to be foreseen
unoriginal · derivative · banal · stock · worn-out · threadbare · overused · timeworn · shopworn · old-hat
- sentimentalitymawkish, schmaltzy, saccharine, treacly, cloying
- tackinesstackiness, gaudiness, garishness, tawdriness, trashiness
hokeynessgenuineness
Quality of being real
authenticity · sincerity · realness · earnestness · truthfulness
hokeynesssophistication
Cultured elegance and complexity
refinement · subtlety · elegance · polish · nuance
hokeynessunderstatement
Intentional diminishment for effect
restraint · subtlety · reserve · coolness · detachment