schmaltzy
Dripping with sentiment
Schmaltzy describes something excessively sentimental or emotionally overwrought—music, movies, or gestures that lay on the feelings too thick.
From Yiddish *schmaltz* (rendered chicken fat), suggesting something rich to the point of being cloying: a schmaltzy love song, The movie was entertaining but schmaltzy.
The noun schmaltz works the same way: pure schmaltz.
Excessively tearful sentiment
- mawkishUnpleasantly overemotional
- saccharineExaggeratedly sentimental
- treaclyExcessively sweet or sentimental
- syrupyExcessively sweet or sentimental
sugary · gushy · mushy · slushy · sappy · weepy · tearjerker · heartwarming
Exaggeratedly emotional in expression
- overwroughtExcessively emotional or elaborate
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- histrionicExaggeratedly emotional in behavior
- telenovelaLatin serialized melodrama
overacting · exaggerated · theatrical · overblown · bombastic · grandiose · over-the-top · dramatic
Cheaply sentimental or contrived
- cheesyCheap and insincere
- cornyTiresomely sentimental or trite
- triteOverused, lacking freshness
- banalUnoriginal and dull
hackneyed · clichéd · formulaic · predictable · unoriginal · derivative · overused · stale
maudlin
Excessively tearful sentiment
- mawkishUnpleasantly overemotional
- saccharineExaggeratedly sentimental
- treaclyExcessively sweet or sentimental
syrupy · sugary · gushy · mushy · slushy · sappy · weepy · tearjerker · heartwarming · tender
melodramatic
Exaggeratedly emotional in expression
- overwroughtExcessively emotional or elaborate
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- histrionicExaggeratedly emotional in behavior
telenovela · overacting · exaggerated · theatrical · overblown · bombastic · grandiose · over-the-top · dramatic · operatic
hokey
Cheaply sentimental or contrived
banal · hackneyed · clichéd · formulaic · predictable · unoriginal · derivative · overused · stale · tired
tacky
Vulgar or slightly sticky
campy · glitzy · schlocky · lowbrow · figurine · tchotchke · ornate · flashy · kitschy
- sentimentalitymawkish, saccharine, treacly, cloying, mushy
- HollywoodHollywood, Tinseltown, Hollywood Sign, silver screen, movie stars
- melodramatichistrionic, theatrical, overwrought, exaggerated, dramatic
- excessive sweetnesssaccharine, cloying, syrupy, sugary, treacly
schmaltzyunemotional
Lacking outward feeling
unsentimental · cold · hardheaded · hard-boiled · cynical
schmaltzygenuine
Truly what it claims
authentic · unvarnished · sincere · unadulterated · antisentimental